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, and is recommended if your jaw or gums are not in optimal shape for supporting the denture.
Base: The base of the denture is normally the part that is made to look like gum tissue. It is normally made of plastic.
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.
Denture: The denture is the component that is intended to replace the teeth and mimic the gums.
Fixed Denture: This denture is not removable by you. Sometimes it may not be removable at all without damage to the denture.
Hybrid Denture: Most often, this refers to a fixed/removable denture, which cannot be removed by you, but can be easily removed by your dentist.
Implant-Retained Denture: An implant retained 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.
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. They are sometimes used for implant-retained dentures.
Overdenture: Sometimes implant dentures are called “overdentures” because they go “over” dental implants.
Prosthesis: This is a general term for components intended to replace a body part, such as a denture.
Hopefully, this helps you understand your research about dentures. For additional definitions, please contact a local FOY® Dentures dentist for a consultation.
