Have you lost many of your teeth? Did you know that almost 4% of adults are missing all of their teeth? Tooth loss can occur for a number of reasons; from gum disease, tooth decay, a facial injury, etc. But, no one wants to lose an adult tooth, and especially not all of them – is there a way to restore your smile? Absolutely! You may have heard of dentures and dental implants before, but have you heard of using a combination of the two? Implant-supported dentures are becoming a popular choice for patients who are missing several (or all) teeth. So, how do implant dentures work?
All About Implant Dentures
If you’re familiar with dentures, you probably know that they sit right on the gums. But, with these dentures, they’re connected to dental implants on either side – allowing for more stability. However, the dentures are still able to be removed, they’re not like fixed restorative options (crowns, bridges, etc.).
Now, if you’re not familiar with implants, they cannot be removed as they are physically inserted into your gum tissue. In doing this, the implant (made of titanium) can fuse with your jawbone – acting as a tooth root.
How Do The Implants And Dentures Connect?
The dentures attach to the implants simply – snap on, snap off. But, there are actually two different types of implant dentures; bar-retained and ball-retained.
With bar-retained dentures, your dentist will place a thin metal bar across the top of your gums, connecting each dental implant. With the attachments on the bar, your dentures can clip into place. On the other hand, with ball-retained dentures, your dentist places a ball-shaped attachment on the implants that then fits into a socket on the dentures.
If you’re missing any teeth – whether it’s one or all of them – don’t hesitate to contact your dentist today to begin discussing your restoration options!
