Dental Implants Provide Stable Denture Alternatives

When making a big decision, like how to replace your teeth, most people want to be able to explore different options and make their own choices. To have just one solution available may feel oppressive. For many years, traditional dentures were the only option to replace a mouth full of teeth. However, these old-fashioned prosthetics can negatively impact your nutrition and quality of life compared to other solutions for edentulism (complete tooth loss). Several modern alternatives to a traditional denture provide increased stability, functionality, and a more natural look.

The Problems With Dentures

Traditional dentures sit atop the gums and offer a way to regain your smile and some chewing power after losing your teeth. However, their bulky acrylic design constantly pushes against the gums and jawbone, essentially working against your mouth rather than with it. Combine this with the fact that your jawbone quickly begins to deteriorate once you lose your teeth, and your traditional dentures will lose their tight fit over time. This leads to “floating dentures,” where the false teeth begin to slip and slide inside your mouth at unexpected times.

Not only will unstable dentures inevitably lead to embarrassing moments, but they can also affect your oral health and quality of life. Without a solid foundation for your teeth, eating certain foods like raw vegetables becomes more challenging, if not impossible. Thanks to unwanted lisps and slurring, you may find it suddenly more difficult to speak clearly. And finally, loose dentures can cause irritation and soreness in the gums.

So, what’s the solution? Some people try to have their dentures relined or turn to messy adhesives for extra support. However, both are temporary solutions that must be repeated, costing you time, money, and patience. The real solution to these denture problems comes from alternatives known as implant dentures.

An Implant Denture Offers Stable Alternatives

Implant dentures use dental implants as stable anchors for a set of artificial teeth. This allows them to function and look much more like your natural teeth. Most importantly, it means there’s no risk of them slipping, sliding, or falling out of your mouth at unexpected times.

Implant dentures with mini dental implants provide many benefits. These are smaller versions of traditional implants that are just as strong. We can place mini implants in patients with less bone density and use more of them when supporting an entire arch of teeth. This helps spread out the pressure from biting across more implants. It also means that if one implant doesn’t work as expected, there are others in place to take over, ensuring your dental work remains secure.

Implant dentures come in several varieties, each offering a different level of removability and stability:

• Snap-on dentures: We sometimes refer to this option as overdentures or implant-retained dentures. They’re removable teeth that snap onto 4-8 mini implants but come off at night for cleaning. This option is a hybrid between traditional dentures and permanent dentures.
• Semi-removable roundhouse bridge: Want a more stable option that is only removed by a dentist like Dr. Aristodemo for cleaning? A semi-removable roundhouse bridge that connects to 6-10 mini implants might be the right choice for you. Even though this is called a bridge, it still replaces all your teeth in the upper or lower arch. You may hear this option referred to as Fix-on-Six®.
• Non-removable roundhouse bridge: Known as permanent dentures, these zirconia bridges are cemented to 8-10 mini implants, making them the most stable and functional option available. They also look and feel the most like natural teeth.

The Cost of Mini Implants

We understand that every dental procedure comes with a cost, which can be a source of financial anxiety. One benefit of using mini dental implants is that we can place them in one visit using an efficient, minimally invasive technique. This compressed timeline saves you money compared to many other restorations. For example, they cost about half as much as traditional dental implants. Still, our practice will do everything possible to make implant dentures affordable. We’ll review your dental insurance so you know exactly what your plan covers. We also offer financing through our lending partners, with some plans having interest rates as low as 0%.

Learn More About Denture Alternatives

If you’re looking for a reliable tooth replacement solution or are tired of dealing with floating dentures, consider our alternatives that leverage the stability of mini dental implants. Dr. Aristodemo and the experienced, caring team at Happy Smiles Family Dentistry are ready to help you take that first step. Contact us to schedule your free consultation and see if one of our denture alternatives suits you.