Are You Unhappy With Your Dentures?

By Snehal Patel, DDS, MD

Are you unhappy with your teeth? Are you living in pain?

If you are missing your teeth, your dentist may recommend dental implants to you. A hybrid “implant retained denture” can be created and placed on the dental implants to rebuild your teeth. Only your dentist would be able to remove this denture. And usually, only your dentist would know that they are not your real teeth.

On the same day, your non-salvageable teeth would be removed, dental implants would be placed, and a denture would be fashioned to the dental implants. So, you would have new teeth in a day.

If you are currently wearing dentures and are unhappy with the way they fit, they can be modified to attach to the dental implants similarly on the same day.

When your treatment is complete, you should be able to chew, speak and socialize without experiencing the negative emotions that having missing teeth or hard-to-wear dentures can sometimes cause.

Dental implants also eliminate the need for denture adhesives. Furthermore, the dental implants can eliminate the need for the “plastic” that covers your palate. Not only would this be more comfortable, it enhances taste and will bring enjoyment back to eating.

In fact, because the lower denture tends to fit so poorly, it has become common practice to routinely plan for the lower denture to be held in place by two dental implants for improved performance. The dental implants can be placed in an oral surgeon's office with local anesthesia or IV sedation. A weekend of recovery is usually sufficient before people return to work.

Contact your dentist or oral surgeon to see if implant dentures can improve your lifestyle. Ask for a free consultation and x-ray.