Dentures restore your smile and your ability to eat a variety of foods, but they have drawbacks. Because traditional dentures rest on top of your gums, they can loosen, slip or click when the suction breaks.
Securing your dentures to dental implants can solve these problems, so your dentures stay in place when you eat, talk and laugh.
Denture implants (or implant-supported dentures) are a type of dental prosthesis that uses dental implants (titanium screws surgically placed in the jawbone) to securely anchor removable or fixed dentures. Unlike traditional dentures, which rely on adhesives or suction, denture implants snap or clip onto the implants, providing superior stability, comfort, and chewing function.
Conventional full dentures are created after the gums and jawbone have healed post-extraction, which usually requires several months. Temporary dentures can be used during the healing period.
These dentures are fabricated in advance before any necessary extractions occur, and can be placed right away, without waiting for the gums and bone to heal. Because the gums and jawbone can shrink after tooth loss, it might take several months of adjustments to create the most comfortable fit. Immediate dentures are often used as a temporary denture.
If you are already a denture wearer and are generally pleased with the look of your dentures but would like them to fit better, then Dr. Radwa Sobieh will be happy to have them relined. This can often be the solution for dentures that shift and cause gum irritation.
Partial dentures replace multiple missing teeth in the upper or lower jaw. Most of them require healthy adjacent teeth for secure placement. Unlike bridges, which are fixed permanently to adjacent teeth, partial dentures are removable, and are held in place with different types of attachments:
A common form of partial denture has a metal clasp attached to the end of the denture that fits snugly around a supporting tooth, holding it securely in place. These clasps are sometimes visible when speaking or smiling.
Small interlocking metal parts on both the partial denture and the adjacent teeth connect together for an unobtrusive, secure fit. These dentures might require crowns for the adjacent teeth and can be more expensive than clasp attachments.
Made of thermoplastic material, flexible dentures use translucent, gum-colored extensions that discreetly fit around the base of the teeth near the gumline.
Partial dentures use stud or clip attachments to hold the denture securely to the dental implants.
Whether you have dentures already or need new dentures, either can be fabricated to attach to dental implants. For existing denture wearers,
Dr. Radwa Sobieh can simply modify your dentures so that they can be fastened to dental implants. Fittings will be added to the underside of your dentures and these will firmly grasp the dental implants. Likewise, new dentures can be fabricated with the fittings already in place.
Whether you have existing or new dentures, either is removable. Dr. Radwa Sobieh will show you how to properly attach your dentures to the implants. You will also need to remove your dentures at night for proper cleaning and soaking.
If you’d like teeth that stay in all the time, a full arch of teeth can be attached to several implants so that only the dentist removes it. This option needs enough healthy jawbone. Dr. Sobieh will check your bone with 3D imaging and tell you whether fixed or removable implant dentures suit you best.
Contact Winchester Dental Studio to schedule a consultation about implant dentures. We’ll look at your mouth and your current dentures and explain your options and costs.
Regular dentures cost less and don’t need surgery, but they can slip and they don’t stop the jawbone from shrinking. Implant dentures stay in place, let you chew a wider range of foods, and help keep the jawbone where the implants sit. We’ll help you weigh the two for your mouth and budget.
A removable lower denture often uses two to four implants. The upper jaw has softer bone and usually needs more. The number depends on your bone and on whether you choose removable or fixed teeth.
Often, yes. If your dentures fit well and you like how they look, Dr. Sobieh can add fittings to the underside so they clip onto implants.
The cost depends on how many implants you need, whether you need a bone graft and which type of denture you choose. You’ll get the cost at your consultation, and we offer payment plans, CareCredit and Cherry.
Take removable implant dentures out every night to clean and soak them, and brush around the implants and your gums twice a day. Keep up with checkups so we can check the implants and the fittings.
Most adults in good general health with enough jawbone can have them. Smoking and uncontrolled diabetes slow healing, and bone loss may need a graft first. Learn more in what you need to know about dental implants.
Our dental services combine modern dental technology with gentle, personal care. Whether you need a routine checkup, emergency care, cosmetic dentistry, Invisalign, dental implants, root canal treatment or sedation, our team takes time to listen and explain your options, so you feel comfortable at every visit.
Proudly serving Winchester, Stephens City, Stephenson City, Boyce Town, Clear Brook, Gainesboro, Hayfield, Nain, White Hall, and Round Hill, Virginia, we're your trusted dentists for your dental health needs.
