Patients who have lost most or all their teeth either because of tooth decay, an accident or other factors, can now take advantage of implant-supported dentures and implant-retained bridges to restore their full set of teeth and their confident smiles. Full mouth dental implants have several advantages over conventional dentures in terms of stability, comfort, and chewing capacity.
Full mouth dental implants are placed on titanium “roots”, which confer unmatched stability to your denture. This stability is incomparable with the stability provided by any conventional denture, mostly because dental implants successfully imitate the stability, chewing function and appearance of natural teeth.
Titanium implants are resistant to decay, they are incredibly strong, and successfully integrate into your jawbone. Implant-supported dentures can be placed on both your upper and lower jaws. However, the upper jaw may need a few more implants to achieve the same level of stability, given that the upper jaw bone is not as strong as the lower one, and it needs more support.
Implant-retained full bridges and implant-supported dentures have the advantage of feeling and looking more like natural teeth. They not only look better than other teeth restoration solutions, but patients will notice a marked improvement in their ability to chew and bite. This ability will not decease over time, as these dentures are the most long-lasting full mouth dental restoration option dentistry has to offer.
The aesthetic appearance of implant-supported dentures is an aspect that determines many patients to opt for this procedure. Patients with conventional dentures will often experience bone recession, which leads to a so-called “collapsed smile”, which can look unappealing as it makes patients look older. Titanium implants become fused into the jawbone, maintaining the bone structure intact and healthy.
Before any procedures are commenced, the case of each patient is meticulously analysed. In a nutshell, the whole process goes as follows: if the dentist finds everything in order in terms of soft tissue health and bone density, he will proceed with placing the implants into the patients’ jaw. A 2-6 months healing process follows, which is essential for proper and successful osseointegration. The importance of this step cannot be overstated.
Patients are advised to maintain good dental hygiene, avoid alcohol and smoking, or anything that might hinder the healing process and cause inflammation in the gums. These measures are taken to make sure the titanium implants properly fuse together with the jawbone, and to avoid implant failure that can be brought about by inflammation. For the duration of the healing process, patients are fitted with a temporary teeth replacement that will cover the implant sites. After the healing process, the temporary dentures are replaced with full bridges or dentures.
Whatever the cause of patients losing their teeth on both of their jaws, implant-retained bridges or dentures are a viable option for full mouth teeth restoration. There are cases, however, in which patient don’t immediately qualify for such a procedure. For example if they lack the required bone density or have severe inflammation in their gums. Both these issues can be overcome by treatment and bone grafting.
