Dentures are usually your last resort once you’ve lost all of your natural teeth. When you face the prospect of getting false teeth, you have the option to choose between traditional removable dentures and implant overdentures.

Traditional Dentures

Dr. Marion takes great care to ensure that the full removable dentures he makes are as comfortable and natural-looking as possible.

He will begin the process by taking two impressions, or casts, of your mouth. This two-step technique allows Dr. Marion to capture all the details of your gums so that he can customize the denture to fit your mouth comfortably.

Next, Dr. Marion will take measurements to evaluate the way your denture teeth should interact when you open and close your mouth. This stage in the process is important to determine the optimum length and positioning of the teeth in your denture. Dr. Marion will also help you build your ideal smile by selecting premium denture teeth made from durable and highly aesthetic layered polymers.

In the next step, Dr. Marion will have you try out your new denture teeth attached to a temporary base. Besides checking the aesthetics, he will be looking for how the denture affects your speech and your ability to chew with ease. Only after he’s made any necessary adjustments and determined that your bite is balanced will he create the finished denture.

Drawbacks of Dentures

A well-made denture is a great way to replace missing teeth. Still, even the best dentures have significant limitations.

Dentures are nowhere near as stable or efficient as natural teeth. They can also limit your sense of taste and they won’t let you experience sensation the way your natural teeth do. After many years of wearing a denture, you’ll also notice your face starting to collapse.

Facial collapse happens when the bone in your jaw starts to resorb because there are no longer tooth roots there to stimulate it. Your body views your jaw bone as no longer necessary and extracts the minerals from your bone to use elsewhere. As the bone dissolves away, your jaw height will shrink, facial wrinkles will deepen, and your denture will get loose and start to slip and chafe against your gums.

The best way to achieve a stable bite with dentures and avoid facial collapse is to add implants.

Implant Overdentures

An implant overdenture is an arch of prosthetic teeth with attachments that connect to two or more dental implants.

Implants nested securely in your jaw bone prevent facial collapse by stimulating the bone just as natural tooth roots do. They also provide a level of stability that regular dentures alone cannot. Wearing an implant overdenture can boost your confidence since you’ll have a more secure bite and can maintain a more youthful appearance.

Implant overdentures have some obvious advantages over regular dentures. However, there is more cost associated with implant overdentures.

An implant overdenture supported by four dental implants.

We understand that the cost might be a concern for you. You might be interested in implant dentures but also prefer to be budget conscious. If so, then you could get regular dentures now and add implants in the future. If you later decide that you’d like to add more stability to your bite, Dr. Marion can add a couple of attachments to your current denture that snap onto dental implants. This process will convert your removable denture into one that’s partially supported by implants.

Dentures and Implant Overdentures

Dr. Marion makes both traditional dentures and implant overdentures. If you need to replace multiple teeth and want to find out which restorative option is right for you, call Dr. Marion, or request an appointment with our online form.