Dental Implants
Why the need for dental implants?
Complete dentures rely on suction and musculature control to maintain their position in their mouth. Suction and stability are directly related to the amount of soft healthy tissue available and the height of ridges and bone in the jaw. Over time the bone shrinks and the height of these ridges decreases and with that decrease there is also a loss of denture retention. Upper dentures are less prone to this problem as their base is spread across the entire palate and even with loss of some bone patients generally find their retention remains good. Lower dentures however only fit directly over the ridge area as the center section is cut away to allow room for the tongue to function. This leaves lower dentures much more prone to instability as the residual ridges begin to resorb. As the years go by patients can find this growing instability of the lower denture very frustrating. This is often coupled with symptoms of frequent sore spots, food entrapment under dentures, loss of ability to chew, and a general decline in confidence.
This is where the modern technology of dental implants can help.
What are dental implants?
Dental implants are artificial tooth roots generally made of titanium which have the property of adhering to bony tissue, referred to as osseotegration. On a lower jaw only two such abutments are most often required to secure a denture. This procedure is carried out at a dental office and generally performed under local anesthesia. The insertion of oral implants is relatively painless. Once the bone has fully healed around these implants sleeves, small posts are fitted into them and on these posts dentures are designed to clip on to. Once complete, the patient has a denture that snaps into place and no longer relies on suction as its only form of retention.
How well do they work?
The success rate of this procedure is very high with most patients finding dramatic improvements in their abilities to wear dentures. Common findings among patients are as follows:
* no more tender spots
* increased ability to chew
* no denture movement while laughing or sneezing
* increased confidence to smile naturally
Dental implants are not for everyone. However this technology is becoming much more common and may well be worth considering as a life long investment in your health and smile.