Many patients who have suffered from tooth loss have benefitted from the latest dental technologies that make tooth replacements more functional and natural-looking than ever before. For patients who need a full arch of teeth replaced, it is no different! At Cannon Dental, we offer Salt Lake City, UT area patients a number of customized denture options, including implant retained dentures.
What are implant retained dentures?
Many patients find that upper dentures stay in their mouth easily, but lower dentures are less stable due to tongue movements and less natural suction. That’s where implant retained dentures come in—they combine the functionality and affordability of a denture to replace a full arch of teeth with the stability and oral health benefits of dental implants. Patients often choose implant retained dentures because they result in:
- Better stability when eating and speaking
- Increased confidence
- Healthier bone and gums
- Better dental hygiene
Types of implant retained dentures
Patients have choices when it comes to the type of implant retained denture they get at Cannon Dental. Each option has pros and cons that Dr. Cannon will discuss with you at length so you can feel confident in your decision.
- Ball attachment denture: Two implants are placed in your jaw and then the denture snaps on to these implants on a ball-like attachment. Ball attachment dentures offer greater stability than traditional dentures, but there will still be some movement and food can get trapped beneath the denture. These dentures are removable for thorough cleaning and care, and will periodically need to be adjusted at Cannon Dental.
- Bar attachment denture: For this type of denture (also called an “overdenture”), which is also removable, four to six implants are placed. After they heal, a customized support bar is placed that connects the implants, which is then used to firmly clip on to the denture. This provides much more stability than ball attachment dentures and you can expect little movement of the denture while you eat and speak.
- Screw retained denture: This type of denture is a good option for patients who want a more permanent solution. With this option, five or more implants are used to securely clasp or screw the denture on. It is considered permanent because you do not remove it; instead, the denture does not touch your gums so you can clean beneath it while it is still in place. At your maintenance visits at Cannon Dental, we are able to remove the denture to perform a deep cleaning and check the fit.
Implant retained upper dentures
Upper dentures can also be retained with implants, which can make it possible for some patients to have a denture that does not completely cover the roof of their mouth. These are typically removable dentures that make cleaning easier, but a larger number of implants are usually necessary because the bone in the upper jaw is not as hard as the lower jaw.
