Are you completely edentulous and wearing full dentures which you can no longer tolerate?
Have you been told that the prognosis on your remaining teeth is hopeless and have been committed to a full denture you don't want?
Then a ‘
state of the art' full arch ‘fixed' bridge on implants may be the answer for you!
For suitable cases, the remaining hopeless teeth may be extracted, implants may be placed and a plastic temporary bridge inserted
all on the same day! (so called “same-day teeth”). Placing “same-day teeth” i.e. the same day the implants are placed, is also possible in patients without teeth who are in full dentures and cannot stand to wear them a day longer than necessary!
The benefits of this treatment are numerous and obvious. In many cases you get fixed teeth in a day! The bridgework is fixed rigidly in the mouth and totally implant-supported and so denture ‘sore-spots’ poor retention and lifting or dropping no longer exist! There is absolutely no pain or movement of the bridge when eating or talking and most patients describe the implant bridge as being “part of themselves.” An implant-supported full arch bridge may appose a full denture; for instance if the upper denture is good and is to be kept but the lower denture is not or it may appose healthy natural teeth. If necessary, it is possible to have implant-supported bridges in
both arches.
It is important to remember that this is an implant-supported full arch prosthesis and should never be regarded as anatomically identical to ‘God-given’ natural teeth; however it is usually possible to provide a high level of cosmetics, near natural and socially acceptable appearance and function even in the most difficult cases. Most patients describe improvement in both self-confidence and self-esteem.
Please note that an implant-supported fixed bridge is not always the treatment of choice in all cases. In some cases a
removable prosthesis is preferred. It is always your dentist who knows what is best for you.
Usually a minimum of four implants is required in the lower jaw and generally more (6-8) in the upper jaw, however you do not need an implant to replace each missing tooth! Either healing abutments (metal cylinders) are placed on the implants to shape the gum for the bridgework and a (modified) full denture is worn over the top to maintain appearances during the healing period or a ‘same day’ bridge is fixed to the implants. "Same day teeth" requires placement of implants of sufficient initial stability and this sometimes cannot be determined until the time of surgery. For this reason ‘fixed’ teeth in a day cannot be guaranteed for all cases.
A soft diet and special attention to cleaning is recommended for 6-8 weeks to encourage healing. If you are wearing a full denture over the implants it will be recommended that you leave it out whenever possible (e.g. at night and when alone). It will take between 8- 16 weeks for the implants to heal (‘osseointegrate’) depending on each individual case.
In most cases the final bridge can be placed on the implants after 3 to 4 months.
The final implant-supported bridge may have a metal reinforcing framework (usually titanium) with high quality acrylic gum and teeth bonded to the framework; a so-called ‘Hybrid Bridge’ or it may have a zirconia ceramic framework with porcelain gum and teeth bonded to the framework; a so-called ‘All-Ceramic Bridge’. One or the other is recommended for each individual case. These bridges are constructed using the very latest ‘state of the art’ Cad-Cam technology and represent the very best that’s available today for a ‘fixed solution’ to missing teeth in the fully edentulous patient.
