Implant-Supported Overdentures While everyone deserves a good smile with bright white teeth, not everyone wants to replace whole sets of teeth with dental implants. For some, they do not even have enough jawbone density to work with. Luckily, at Durham Prosthodontics, we have an alternative that works well with replacing all teeth from one arch.Function and Mechanism of OverdenturesOverdentures are removable dentures that fit over implants, as well as teeth. These have sockets that attach to the small plugs at the tips of implant abutments. It can also work as a sort of crown to existing teeth without needing to extract them. Overdentures also consist of a large casing that fits over your gums. This protects the gums from further damage and keeps them clean. What really makes overdentures special from traditional dentures, however, is that they preserve the alveolar ridge. This is the bony region underneath your gums which hold your natural teeth. Without teeth, this area tends to shrink until it entirely disappears from your mouth. Overdentures can act as a temporary dental prosthetic if you do not wish to have a full implant replacement at the moment. PlacementPlacing overdentures is almost no different from placing traditional dental implants. We will first need to check on your oral and general health, screening you to make sure that your body can handle dental implants. Then we will need to graft your alveolar ridge, where we will place the implant post and abutment. While we do this, we will also take measurements for the custom-made overdenture. We want to make sure that it can fit without any sort of pain or discomfort, as well as allowing you to speak properly and with proper oral posture. We will also adjust the overdenture to your bite. Some patients only ask to have overdentures for half of their mouth at a time. In this case, we will also need to align the overdenture teeth with your natural ones. Furthermore, we will also need to file the natural teeth that will go under the overdenture. Similar to dental crowns, your natural teeth will be filed into the shape of a socket in order to fit a tooth prosthetic that looks identical to how it used to be. After we have placed the implants and finished making the denture, we will attach the rest. Once completed, we will schedule you for regular checkups and make any needed adjustments to your overdenture. MaintenanceFor overdentures, maintenance is similar to that of a traditional denture. At night, you will need to remove the overdenture and clean it of food debris and saliva. When properly taken care of, a good overdenture could last you for up to 18 months of continuous usage before it becomes too loose and needs to be replaced. Afterward, replacing the overdenture can be much simpler since we already have a profile of your mouth. If you are interested in getting an overdenture, then please visit us at Durham Prosthodontics or give us a call at (984) 312-7056 to schedule an appointment with us today. |
Contact Information3709 University Dr Suite D Durham, NC 27707-6224 (984) 312-7056 info@mydurhamdentist.com Follow Us |
