Implant-Retained Dentures in Granite City, IL
Traditional dentures have long been the go-to option for anyone missing all of their teeth. However, new advancements in dental technology now provide additional options. Implant-retained dentures are one such example, providing many benefits over traditional dentures.
Implant-retained dentures take advantage of dental implants to create a strong foundation. Dental implants are small titanium posts that are embedded in the jawbone. They’re used in many types of dental restorations, including implant-retained dentures.
Upper and lower arches of replacement teeth are attached to the dental implants, so they are actually fixed to your jaw—unlike traditional dentures. This difference can help improve your quality of life in five different ways.
1. Natural Eating with a Stronger Bite
Traditional dentures can help patients eat more naturally than those living without teeth. However, they fall far short of the experience of having a healthy smile with natural teeth. Implant-supported dentures improve over traditional dentures with a significantly improved bite strength.
When eating with traditional dentures, the pressure of your bite is applied to the soft gums. Natural teeth don’t rest on the gums; they have roots that transfer the force directly to the jaw and allow for a strong bite.
Dental implants are closer to natural teeth because they use the jawbone as a foundation. This solid foundation lets you exert more bite force than by just pushing with the gums. With a stronger bite, you’re able to eat harder and tougher foods, letting you enjoy a much more diverse diet.
2. Preservation of the Jawbone
Jawbone deterioration is one of the most serious complications that arise from traditional denture use. When a person has natural teeth, the tooth roots exert pressure on the jawbone, stimulating it.. This keeps the jawbone strong and healthy. However, traditional dentures rest on the gums and can’t do the same.
Over time, individuals with traditional dentures experience jawbone deterioration. Without stimulation, the jawbone weakens and shrinks. In patients who have had traditional dentures for years, this can cause a visibly sunken facial appearance.
Implant-supported dentures help prevent jawbone deterioration. The implants provide similar pressure and stimulation to the jawbone similar to that of natural teeth, which lets the bone maintain its density, strength, and structure.
3. A Beautiful Smile
Implant-retained dentures can provide you with a full and beautiful smile of natural-looking teeth. They are custom-made to offer a flawless yet natural look that suits you as an individual. Because of this, implant-supported dentures can create a much more natural appearance than traditional dentures.
Additionally, implant-retained dentures last longer than traditional dentures. This makes it economical to employ more advanced techniques and higher-quality materials in each implant restoration.
Traditional dentures also have considerable visual acrylic material that serves to stabilize them. While this material is gum-colored, it can still be conspicuous. Implant-supported dentures rely on dental implants for support, so they have significantly less visible material.
4. A Comfortable Experience
Traditional dentures can give individuals without teeth a significant improvement in quality of life, but they also come with a variety of difficulties that lessen the experience.
They can slip and rub against the gums, which leads to soreness and irritation. This slippage can also happen during speaking or eating, which makes the dentures more conspicuous and can impact self-confidence.
Implant-supported dentures are firmly fixed to dental implants that provide a strong foundation. They don’t budge while eating or speaking, preventing the irritation caused by rubbing and movement. Individuals with implant-supported dentures can lead their lives confidently, knowing that they won’t slip at an inopportune moment.
5. Convenient Oral Care
Unlike traditional dentures, implant-supported dentures aren’t removed every night. Instead, they can only be attached and unattached by a dentist. This means that you wear your implant-supported dentures 24/7, which helps make caring for them easier.
You don’t have to worry about special cleaning products and keeping your dentures in a solution overnight. Instead, you carry out an oral hygiene routine very similar to that of natural teeth. Your dentist will provide specific instructions as to technique and products to use, but you’re essentially brushing and flossing as normal.
There also won’t be any more need for fixative strips or other dental adhesives. You won’t have to apply these to your gums or clean them off anymore because your implant-supported dentures won’t budge with the strong support of dental implants.
Are Implant-Retained Dentures Right for You?
Implant-retained dentures from a qualified implant dentist in Granite City, IL, can give you a beautiful, functional smile that you’ll be glad to share with the world.
At Metro East Dental Care, we take pride in offering comprehensive, compassionate care with modern technology to all of our patients. We can carefully evaluate your needs to determine which treatment options are suitable for your unique smile.
To find out whether implant-retained dentures could be the solution you need, schedule a consultation with us today.