One of the top questions you might ask during your dentures research is “what are implant dentures?” Are they worth the hype?
Implant dentures are great for making sure your dentures stay in place and helping you get the best chewing efficiency with your dentures. But if you’re researching dentures, you might have trouble understanding what implant-supported dentures are and how they work. With that said, here is everything you need to know about implant-supported dentures.
Denture Terms To Know
When researching dentures, you might not know what all the words mean. Here is a breakdown of the terms that might sound unfamiliar to you.
Bar: Sometimes called a milled bar, this is a metal piece that connects directly to the dental implant. It helps support and retain your denture. Dentists recommend a bar if your jaw or gums are not in optimal shape for supporting the denture.
Base: The base of the denture is usually made of plastic and resembles gum tissue.
Dental Implant: Normally, this refers to the artificial tooth root that is placed in the jawbone, but it is sometimes used to refer to more of the dental implant structure, including locators or other structures attached to the implant.
Locator: A locator is a feature attached to the dental implant that allows it to emerge from the gum tissue and attach to the denture.
Mini Implants: Mini dental implants are just like regular implants, only smaller. Dentists can use mini implants in some cases for implant-retained dentures.
Prosthesis: This is a general term for components intended to replace a body part, such as a denture.
Types of Dentures:
The denture replaces the teeth and mimics the gums. There are several types of dentures including the following.
- Fixed Denture: Only dentists can remove this type of denture.
- Hybrid Denture: Most often, this refers to a fixed/removable denture that only your dentist can remove.
- Implant-Retained Denture: This denture uses dental implants to stay in place in the mouth, but the dental implants don’t support the denture. The denture still rests on the gum tissues for support.
- Implant-Supported Denture: This type of denture actually directs force into the dental implants. It doesn’t put any force onto your gum tissue.
- Overdenture: Sometimes implant dentures are called “overdentures” because they go “over” dental implants.
Implant Dentures: The Perfect Pairing
Now that you know all the main denture terms, let’s dig deeper into the implant-supported denture, also known as implant denture. Implant-supported dentures function just like natural teeth. The combination of FOY® Dentures with dental implants offers benefits you won’t find with any other implant-supported denture pairing.
FOY® Dentures use a neuromuscular approach which means their design creates harmony between your muscles, joints, and replacement teeth. This allows for a comfortable fit and prevents TMJ disorders. It allows restores youthful facial proportions to help shave years off your appearance. When you combine FOY® Dentures with the stability of dental implants, the results offer the best of both worlds.
Benefits of Implant-Supported Dentures
When you replace your missing teeth with implant-supported dentures, you can look forward to experiencing a number of amazing benefits.
Retain Bone Density
One of the first benefits of implant-supported dentures is bone retention. When you lose your natural teeth, your jaw bone no longer has anything to stimulate it. As a result, bone resorption occurs. As the bone resorbs, it can cause your facial appearance to show signs of aging. This is because the jaw bone supports your facial structure in addition to your teeth. With implant-supported dentures, dental implants stimulate the jaw bone to prevent resorption.
Increased Stability
Although FOY® Dentures already offer great stability, adding implants into the mix makes them even more stable. When you have implant-supported dentures, the dentures attach to the dental implants surgically inserted into the jaw. There is no way for them to fall out or become loose. Instead, they stay fixed in place and offer a high level of stability you won’t find with dentures alone.
Function Like Natural Teeth
Thanks to the dental implants acting like natural tooth roots, implant-supported dentures function similarly to natural teeth. Eating won’t feel much different than it naturally does after you get implant-supported dentures.
Improved Quality of Life
If you’ve been living with missing teeth or regular dentures, getting implant-supported dentures will improve your quality of life. Not only will you feel more confident in your smile, but eating, speaking, and smiling will feel natural again. You won’t have to avoid certain foods because you can’t chew them or hide your teeth when you smile because you think your dentures look obvious. Implant-supported FOY® Dentures will also help your appearance look years younger thanks to the neuromuscular principles and jaw bone retention.
Who is a Good Candidate?
Most patients are perfect candidates for implant-supported dentures. Your dentist will check your bone density as well as your overall oral health to determine whether implants are right for you. In some cases, a bone graft might be necessary to ensure there is enough bone. If for any reason you are not a good candidate for implants, you can at the very least upgrade your dentures to FOY® Dentures for a more secure and comfortable fit.
FOY® Dentures Can Change Your Life
Hopefully, this helps you understand your research about implant-supported dentures and whether or not they’re right for you. For additional information or to get started on your procedure, please contact a local FOY® Dentures dentist for a consultation.
