Dentures are a time-honored solution to the serious problem of severe tooth loss. Not only do they restore the beauty of your smile but, modern alternatives to tooth loss such as implant supported dentures can transform the quality of life for patients with missing teeth. Dentures also help restore your ability to eat and enunciate properly, which grows more difficult as more teeth are lost. Yet, if you or someone you know has worn dentures for a while, then you are probably aware that a common complaint among traditional denture wearers is the eventual loss of grip that can result in slippage and discomfort during use. You might assume this is natural. As time goes on, the appliance may wear down from everyday use and eventually need replacing. The truth, however, is that the problem doesn’t lie with the appliance, but with an underlying consequence of tooth loss that traditional dental prostheses cannot address. Atlanta Prosthodontist, Dr. David Zelby, explores how implant-supported dentures can provide a more secure fit, as well as protect your oral health from the continuing effects of tooth loss.
How to Improve on the Innovative Design of Dentures
While the materials have changed drastically with technological advancement, the concept and basic design of dentures has not changed much over the years. Custom-designed dentures to fit the curvature of your smile, help restore your natural tooth structure precisely as nature intended it to be placed for optimal function. While today’s denture adhesives are highly effective, they are perhaps the weakest link when it comes to performance. So how do you attach your dentures more securely to your gum line? By taking a page from your own body’s design and recreating the roots that your natural teeth once rested upon. A dental implant is surgically inserted into your jawbone, with the top part exposed to serve as a connection point to your dentures. Your jawbone fuses to the implant’s titanium surface, creating a biocompatible prosthetic tooth root. Once your jawbone heals and your life-like dentures are placed on your dental implants, you will have effectively replaced your smile both above and below your gum line.
Continuing Advantages of Implant-Supported Dentures
Aside from the immediate security of a base anchored in your jawbone, dental implants help prevent ill-fitting dentures by addressing the root problem of tooth loss that can change your mouth’s landscape. When natural tooth roots are stimulated by biting and chewing, they invite nutrients to your jawbone for their support. When these roots are lost, your jawbone receives fewer nutrients, and slowly begins to deteriorate from malnutrition. As your jaw shrinks, your custom-crafted denture will no longer fit because it can’t firmly grasp your changing dental ridge. Dental implants help restore this stimulation and prevent the continuing destruction of your jawbone, making them the most complete tooth replacement option available today.
Learn More About Restoring Your Smile with Your Atlanta Prosthodontist
To learn more about the benefits of implant-supported dentures, schedule an appointment with your Atlanta prosthodontist by calling (770) 955-0550 today. Located in the 30339 area, Aesthetic & Implant Dentistry of Atlanta proudly serves patients from all of our surrounding communities.
