Implant-supported full bridge or full dentures are a great treatment option if you are looking to replace your lost natural teeth. There are many advantages that dental implants provide over other teeth replacement options, such as conventional dentures. Dental implants not only replace natural teeth and some of the roots, but it also integrates with your jawbone. Since dental implants can replace some tooth roots, implants help preserve the bone in your jaws, unlike nonimplant-supported dentures, where the bone will resorb (deteriorate), causing resorption of the jawbone and a collapsed smile and facial profile.
In additional to having the appearance of and functioning like natural teeth, implant-supported full bridges or dentures are designed to be long lasting. They are also more stable and comfortable than conventional dentures, allowing for a more natural biting and chewing capacity.
How will the implants be placed?
First, implants will be placed into your jaw. The implants look like screws or cylinders. Then the bone and implants are allowed to integrate together over the next 2-6 months. The part of the implant that is above the gums, called an abutment, will function as anchors for your artificial teeth. Many times an existing denture or temporary teeth can be attached to the implants while they integrate immediately after surgical placement of implant. This “teeth in a day” as advertised is really a culmination of previous planning and work done by a surgeon, a prosthodontist, and a lab technician. Depending on the number of implants placed, a connecting device that will hold the new teeth can be tightened down onto the implant, or it may be clipped onto a bar or snapped on a round-ball anchor to which the patient can remove at home for cleaning. Finally, full bridges or full dentures are created and attached to the implant via screws or a telescoping connecting device.
The comfortability and esthetics of implant-supported full bridges or implant-supported full dentures will restore your ability to chew and speak as well as confidence in your smile.
