Are you unhappy with the stability and retention of your full dentures?
Do they come loose when speaking, eating or laughing?
Does your upper denture feel over-bulky and tend to make you gag?
Have you been told the prognosis on your remaining teeth is hopeless and that they need to be extracted and a full denture placed?
Are you are concerned about your ability to function with full dentures?
If you have answered yes to any of these questions, an implant-supported overdenture may be the best treatment option for you.
The overdenture
is both implant and gum supported and so stability is greatly enhanced i.e. it moves around less and it stays in! The overdenture is not rigid like an
implant-supported fixed bridge in fact some ‘play’ in the denture is essential for it to be adequately supported by the soft tissues and to ensure the implants not over-loaded.
The benefits of a
removable implant-supported overdenture over a
fixed implant-supported full arch bridge include improved lip support (provided by the denture flange), improved speech and for some patients (especially those with manual dexterity problems) being able take the denture out for cleaning is preferred.
Usually a
minimum of two titanium implants are placed in the lower jaw and four in the upper jaw. Temporary healing cylinders are attached to these which will show just above gum level. Either your present (modified) dentures may be worn over the implants during the healing period or if new dentures have been made these can be worn- there is no reason to be without teeth, though it is recommended they are left out as much as possible (at night and when alone).
After an 8-12 week healing period the healing cylinders are removed and the final precision attachments are placed on to the implants. The completed overdenture will have incorporated into it cap attachments which will ‘press-fit’ on to the implant attachments. If separate attachments are not suitable for your particular case then the implants may be joined by a milled bar and attachment clips are placed inside the denture.
The denture itself is made of high quality impact resistant acrylic in some instances reinforced with a cast chrome framework. Overdenture benefits do not come without some ongoing costs. A great design feature of the overdenture is easy serviceability. Attachments or clips inside the denture can easily be replaced (usually while you wait) and this should usually be done annually. At the same time attachments on the implants can be tightened. Any ‘shrinkage’ of the gum from where the implants are situated will need to be compensated for, so a reline of the gum-fitting surface is necessary after approx. 5yrs or sometimes sooner if there have been dramatic changes to gum architecture. Many factors influence the longevity of the denture construction, such as regular servicing, level of use (and abuse!) and other individual variations that occur from person to person. Generally denture replacement is required after approx. 10 years or sometimes sooner.
Overdentures on implants have improved the quality of life for many of our patients, with improved food choices, smile aesthetics and the self-esteem that goes along with the confidence of having secured teeth.
