In decades gone by, there were relatively few options when it came to tooth restoration. There were bridges and dentures, and if you needed dentures, they were full or partial – and that was about it.

But today, there are more denture options than ever before. The traditional types of dentures, in an improved form, are still used by many; while at the same time, implant-supported dentures offer even bigger benefits and solve virtually all of the problems associated with traditional dentures.

Types Of Traditional Dentures
If you are missing only one, two, or three teeth in relatively close proximity, you might opt for a dental bridge (or dental implants) rather than dentures. But dentures are best when a sizable number of teeth are missing, or weakened by decay or advanced periodontal bone loss – or even if all your teeth are missing on the upper or lower jaw.

Traditional full dentures will contain artificial teeth embedded in acrylic or another suitable material such as PMMA or Zirconium. They sit on the surface of the gums, be it on the upper arch, lower arch, or both.

More “economy” forms of dentures are not retentive and require gooey denture adhesive to keep them in place, and they likely look unnatural and feel uncomfortable. But, you can get custom-made dentures that have much more natural looking teeth, and upper end traditional dentures will be a good deal more comfortable to wear and use.

If you have some teeth remaining in the arch that will receive the dentures, a partial denture will be made for you instead of a full one. Partials will often use metal attachments that take advantage of your remaining teeth to help hold the denture more firmly in place.

If you need an extraction before you can wear your dentures, you normally have to wait 8 to 12 weeks. However, you can also get “immediate dentures” that are ready same-day if you have good oral health (especially gum health). Over time the hard plastic of the denture compresses the soft gum tissue and all its nerves and blood vessels against the hard underlying bone and causes some pain and shrinkage resulting in a loosening of the denture. This can be fixed by a reline, or rebase, or sometimes a new denture is needed.

Types Of Implant-Supported Dentures
Dental implants mimic the look, feel, and function of natural teeth like nothing else. And although it would be impractical to get, say, 10 or 20 dental implants in your mouth, you can restore a full arch via implant-supported dentures.

The titanium implant roots keep underlying bone tissue from resorbing into your body. And implant-based dentures also avoid irritating your gum tissue.

Also, implant supported dentures don’t have to be removed daily and specially cleaned before being placed back in. Instead, you simply care for them like ordinary teeth – and it’s much easier to brush and floss around implant-based dentures than traditional dentures.

However, you can get removable implant-based dentures too, if you like. Snap-in dentures that snap onto implant-based anchors are available. And you can get “overdentures” that sit on the gums but are held in place by implants. And both permanent and removable implant-based dentures can be fitted to either upper or lower jaw and can cover the full arch or only part of it as needed.

When a full arch is covered by an implant based denture, your periodontist will normally use four strategically placed implant anchors – so it’s not as if you have get excessive numbers of implants or undergo dozens of implant surgeries. You can normally have 4 implants installed in a single day, so even a full set of teeth could easily be done in only two sittings.

To learn more about what both traditional and implant-supported dentures have to offer, contact periodontist Dr. Raymond A. Kenzik in Ormond Beach, FL, today!