A very common problem we encounter is a patient who is missing all teeth in the upper jaw, lower jaw, or both the upper and lower jaw. Unfortunately, without dental implants these patients are stuck with wearing dentures. Dentures have many negative side effects, including:
Poor retention causing dentures to move when talking and eating
Decreased biting force and an inability to chew many types of foods
Changes in speech
Uncomfortable denture sores
Need for lifelong denture relines and remakes due to jaw bone resorption
Severe jaw bone resorption caused by long term denture wear
Fortunately, denture wearers can improve their appearance, chewing, speech, and overall function with the addition of dental implants. There are two different ways dental implants can help denture wearers:
Implant Supported Overdentures
Multiple implants are used that have a snap-like retentive connection to the underside of an upper of lower denture. This dramatically improves the denture’s retention and biting capabilities while reducing denture movement and adhesive use.
All on 4 / Teeth in a Day (Fixed Implant Full Arch Bridge)
Multiple dental implants are splinted together with a U shaped dental bridge that replaces all the missing teeth in the upper or lower jaw. This type of restoration is fixated permanently to the implants and does not come in and out of your mouth at home (although it can be removed in the dentist’s office for cleaning and maintenance). Of all the options available to denture wearers, this is the most like having natural teeth. In many cases, patients can go from failing teeth, no teeth or dentures to new fixed implant supported teeth in one day. We are the experts in the Midwest at providing this advanced treatment. Over the past 10 years, our surgeons have given lectures on this topic to:
Senior Creighton Dental students as part of their Implant & Prosthodontic curriculum
The Omaha District Dental Society
The Omaha Implant Study Club
The Nebraska Academy of General Dentistry Mastership Curriculum at the University of Nebraska College of Dentistry in Lincoln, NE
