What are implant dentures?

'Dentures aren't a replacement for teeth. They're a replacement for no teeth'. This is a common phrase in the dental world to describe the limitations of traditional dentures. At their best traditional dentures can be a beautiful replica of a full set of pearly whites, fooling even close friends and loved ones with their natural look. Even a great looking set of dentures, however, usually leaves something to be desired when eating a meal with foods like steak, salad, and crunchy vegetables. Most denture wearers experience the shifting, sliding, and falling out that can be a very frustrating part of the denture experience. Besides making eating difficult, it can give a person a lot of anxiety about their denture coming out during social or romantic situations. Many people can get by with an upper denture because there is usually a lot more bone for the denture to rest on and more suction provided by the roof of the mouth. Unless advanced bone loss is present, a little adhesive can generally make an upper denture tolerable. But a lower denture is a completely different story. Making a traditional lower denture that satisfies all of a person's expectations for fit, comfort, and chewing ability is without a doubt one of the hardest things to do consistently as a dentist. Try as we might, the lack of bone combined with the strong action of the chin muscles and the floor of the mouth pulling upwards and outwards often makes trying to keep a lower denture in place during chewing like trying to keep a tight squeeze on a bar of soap with wet hands. This is where dental implants can make a huge difference in a person's quality of life, by giving support to a lower denture to keep it in place while eating and speaking. Just two titanium implants can reduce a lower denture's movement and improve all of its features. Depending on how much movement a denture wearer is willing to put up with, more implants can be added (often with a bar connecting them) to reduce the movement even further. If enough implants are used(often 5-6 in the lower jaw) a prosthesis with no movement at all can be made, with the additional benefit that the teeth can stay in all the time. This can be done gradually, adding a couple implants every few years until enough are in place to go with this option. Because bone loss starts the moment teeth are removed, it's best to make implants a part of the plan with lower dentures right from the start. As bone loss takes place, the window of opportunity for having implants slowly closes, so that by the time a person is really having problems with denture movement, extensive bone grafting may be needed, adding time and expense to one's treatment. With dental implants, dentures CAN be a great substitute for teeth, and can be very rewarding for both patients and their dentists, who get to hear about their improved chewing, self-esteem, and confidence compared to what they experienced with traditional dentures. Feel free to ask any questions you have about implant dentures, and I'll be happy to try to answer them for you.