It’s time to replace my dentures: What are my options?

Long-term denture wearers realize the appliances lose their fit over time and periodically need to be relined so that they continue to stay in place.

This phenomenon occurs because the jawbone shrinks, changing shape after the teeth are lost.

Before you invest in that new set of dentures, you may want to consult with an implant dentist. Dental implants can help stop jawbone loss, meaning that your next denture may be your last.

When the implant is in your jaw, the titanium posts will fuse with the jawbone. Not only does this provide a sturdy support for a denture (and eliminate the need for unappealing dental adhesives!), it also stabilizes the jaw.

Because dental implants act as teeth roots, the denture will stay in place more securely than with adhesives alone. This gives patients a number of benefits. The implant supported denture won’t slip out of place at inopportune moments. They will feel more natural, and patients who choose implant-supported dentures are able to enjoy a more varied diet.

Dental implants do require a certain amount of bone in place to support them, and this can be a concern for patients who have worn dentures for many years. Extensive bone loss can limit implant success.

Fortunately, the implant dentist can use certain techniques to get around bone loss. One of these is All-on-4 implants, in which four implants are placed toward the front of the jaw, where the bone atrophy does not progress as quickly. The implant supported denture is then anchored by those four implants. Most patients who want dental implants will qualify for this procedure.

In those rare cases when a patient is not appropriate for All-on-4 implants, another alternative is a bone graft to provide supplemental bone material to sustain the implants.

This does extend the treatment timeline by several months, but it can be worthwhile if the end outcome of dental implant success is achieved.

If you are frustrated with your dentures and would more information on dental implants, contact Dallas Oral Surgery Associates today to schedule an informative consultation.

Is it possible to use an existing denture with dental implants?

Sometimes, patients who initially chose conventional dentures regret that decision and want to pursue dental implants. These patients may want to keep their existing dentures and have them adapted to fit with the implants. An oral surgeon can use an existing denture with implants.

Dental implants will greatly improve the comfort and fit of an existing denture. When implants are in place, the denture is more secure and it feels more lifelike. There’s no need to use a bad-tasting adhesive to hold the denture in place.

Implant-supported dentures also preserve better chewing function than that offered by conventional dentures.

The oral surgeon can perform the implant placement procedure and retrofit the denture to accommodate implants right in the office. The denture will need to be altered, with channels being drilled into the bottom of the denture to allow it to slide over the dental implants.

Even with the surgical procedure and the denture alterations, the whole process may be completed in a single day.

In the months following the surgery, the titanium implants will fuse with the jawbone, making the implants a permanent part of the mouth’s structure. This process gives implant-supported dentures superior stability.

Dental implants are particularly valuable to denture wearers because the implants prevent jawbone resorption. The implants actually replicate the roots of missing teeth, serving as an anchor for the jawbone. This quality of implants is instrumental in their permanence as a solution for tooth loss.

Of course, if you have been wearing your denture for some length of time and the shape of your jawbone has changed, you may need to get the denture refitted or have a new appliance created for you.

Dental implants come with significant benefits, including improved strength, appearance and durability. If you originally opted for standard dentures but have since changed your mind, consult with our experienced oral surgeons at Dallas Oral Surgery Associates to learn if you can get implants to support your existing dentures.

Dental Implants: Never Use Denture Adhesive Again

When you have lost all of your natural teeth, your decision to replace them deserves careful consideration. Not all tooth replacement solutions are created the same, and taking the time to select the most ideal solution can save you from years of disappointment, discomfort, and inconvenience.

If you have found your experience with dentures to be challenging and unsatisfying, then you may be able to appreciate the advantages of dental implants. With implants, you will find that you are able to overcome one of the greatest challenges posed by traditional dentures: instability.

Traditional dentures are designed to rest on top of the gum tissue for support. With adequate bone structure to provide a firm foundation, a new and well-made denture tends to fit relatively comfortably. Beneath the surface, the jaw bone is subject to continuous resorption and begins to shrink significantly. In time, the denture no longer fits, and patients are typically forced to depend on denture glue or adhesives to keep the teeth in place.

Dental implants, on the other hand, fuse to the underlying jaw bone to stabilize your denture and hold the bone in place. In a healthy patient, the relationship between the bone and the implant can remain unchanged indefinitely, preventing bone loss and eliminating the need for denture adhesives. Implants can also prevent your denture from rubbing against the gum tissue and causing the troublesome sore spots that can make eating and speaking uncomfortable.

For a moment, try to imagine how it must feel to glue your teeth to your gums. Try to imagine the challenges of chewing and smiling. Think about how it must feel to live with a lingering sense of insecurity throughout the day. If you are one of the millions of patients who wear traditional dentures, you may be living with these harsh realities on a daily basis.

Free yourself from the limitations of denture glue. Speak with our experienced oral surgeons servingDallasTexasabout the advantages of dental implants today.

Loose Dentures: What are my options?

Over time, it is inevitable that a patient’s dentures will lose their fit. The jawbone atrophies after the teeth are lost or extracted, and as a result, it changes shape. Dentures that are designed to match the original shape of the jaw will no longer fit as that shape evolves.

If you’ve encountered this problem, our oral surgeons may have the solution for you.

When dental implants are placed to support a denture, the benefits are twofold. Not only do the dentures stay put in the mouth, the implants stabilize the jaw, eliminating the erosion that causes the dentures to lose their fit.

Because they are far more effective than denture adhesives, dental implants are a better choice for securing dentures and preventing embarrassing slip-ups. Implant-supported dentures also offer better functionality than their conventional counterparts.

At the same time, dental implants replace some of the roots of the missing teeth and act as anchors that prevent jawbone resorption.

Dental implants do require a certain amount of bone in order to be successful. Enough bone must be remain in the patient’s mouth to facilitate the osseointegration process that makes the implants become permanent parts of the mouth structure.

This can present a problem for long-term denture wearers who may have already lost a great deal of that bone.

Even patients who have already had extensive bone loss can still qualify for dental implant-supported dentures, though. The oral surgeon can place a small number of implants in areas of the jaw where bone wears away more slowly, and those implants can anchor an entire arch.

In cases of extreme jawbone resorption, bone graft procedures can also help make the site suitable for dental implant placement.

Of course, patients’ standard dentures can be re-lined or refitted periodically to keep up with changes in the jaw, but dental implants can stabilize dentures for the long-term. If you are dissatisfied with your loose dentures, talk to our oral surgeon about the benefits of dental implants.

Contact Dallas Oral Surgery Associates to learn more about your options.

I’ve worn dentures for years: Am I still a candidate for dental implants?

Some edentulous patients originally pick dentures because they seem budget-friendly in comparison to other options. Indeed, the original sticker price may appear to be low, but after the patient has to replace the dentures a few times, their true cost becomes evident.

Others may be leery of the surgical procedure involved in placing dental implants, or they may have gotten their dentures before dental implants were as readily available and reliable as they are today.

Regardless of their motivations, patients who initially choose dentures to replace missing teeth often become dissatisfied with the appliances and look for alternatives in dental implants that secure a prosthetic arch of teeth.

When dental implants are placed by an oral surgeon, the titanium screw-like structures offer a number of benefits and advantages over standard dentures. They are stable and long-lasting, becoming a permanent part of the jaw structure.

Dental implants also prevent the embarrassing slip-ups that may occur—at the most inopportune times—when a denture shifts out of place.

Because titanium dental implants fuse with the jawbone, candidates must have enough bone material to facilitate that osseointegration. However, long-time denture wearers may have significant jawbone erosion that may complicate this process. In the absence of teeth’s roots, the bone begins to wear away.

Nearly any patient should be appropriate for dental implants at some point. However, some candidates may need to explore different techniques or additional procedures to ensure dental implant success.

When that jawbone erosion is extensive enough, it requires creative solutions to make sure that patients remain eligible for dental implants. One such strategy involves placing a number of dental implants toward the front of the jaw and using those to secure an artificial arch of teeth.

In some cases, when a dental implant must be placed in location with severe jawbone atrophy, a preliminary bone graft surgery may be needed to boost the available bone in the vicinity.

Dental implants offer many benefits, so if you are a long-term denture wearer looking to make a switch, talk with our experienced oral surgeons at Dallas Oral Surgery Associates to learn more about the conditions that must be met for dental implants.