Many people with missing teeth in the upper or lower arch of the mouth find removable dentures a cost-effective solution to regain their smiles. However, dentures are not always so easy to wear as they can sometimes slip when you try to speak or eat. Removable dentures will also lead to jawbone loss. At North Alabama Smiles, we help our patients overcome these issues by offering innovative implant removable dentures.
What Are Implant Removable Dentures?
A locator-retained overdenture with dental implants is a brilliant treatment option for patients who need replacement teeth for the whole upper or lower arch of the mouth. This overdenture reinstates the function of your oral cavity by combining the stability of dental implants with the comfort of a removable denture.
An overdenture is a removable appliance consisting of replacement teeth mounted on a pink resin base that fits precisely over your existing gums. It firmly snaps into position through button-like fittings known as locators. These locators are fixed in place by dental implants.
Who Would Need Implant Removable Dentures?
Dental implants are highly beneficial to patients if many of their original teeth are present. But when you have no teeth remaining in one or both jaws, putting in a dental implant for every tooth is not practical. An alternative solution is to place at least two to four dental implants in the jawbone to anchor a removable denture to keep it from coming loose when worn. An implant-supported removable denture can be detached for cleaning and maintenance.
What Is the Process for Implant Removable Dentures?
First, we will take an impression of the area and fabricate a temporary denture. When the temporary denture is completed, impressions of the mouth are taken to plan the placement of your dental implants.
Next, the area is prepared. The dental implants are then surgically placed, and unique healing caps are placed to cover them while you heal. Once the bone has healed completely, we will take new impressions with the locator abutments attached. These impressions are then sent to our dental lab to create your permanent overdenture.
Once the overdenture is done, we will have an appointment where we will check if it fits well and the bite of the final denture and locator attachments are aligned. Once everything fits, the final overdenture is attached to the locators.
If you want to know more about implant removable dentures, visit our office, North Alabama Smiles, at 55 Golfview Dr NE #5467, Arab, AL 35016. You can also reach us at (256) 586-8100.
