IMPLANT OVERDENTURE

When a patient is missing some or all of the teeth on the jaw, traditionally these patients have had to use dentures either full or partial.

With regards to the patient who has lost all of his teeth, stability, and retention of the denture may hamper the patient from enjoying eating, speaking. This may also create fear when socializing that the denture may slip and cause embarrassment. Dental implants may be placed to aid in retaining the denture and provide a more stable base allowing the patient to eat, speak, and socialize as if they had all of their own teeth. Additionally, those patients who would need to wear a partial denture to replace a few missing teeth may have retention issues due to the placement of the remaining natural teeth or their shape can benefit from implant retained Overdentures.

For this type of overdentures, typically, 4 or 6 single implants can be used to support and secure an upper overdenture, while 2 or 4 implants will be utilized to secure a lower denture. Commonly, the use of 4 or 6 implants on the upper jaw, will allow removal of the palate portion of the denture, which offers a more comfortable feel for the patient, and allows more taste sensation.

Benefits of an implant overdenture include:



• Stable fit. No more loose dentures that cause embarrassment and lack of confidence
• Elimination of adhesives and creams used with regular dentures.
• Ability to speak more clearly and confidently.
• Provides greater strength for better chewing ability.
• Helps preserve bone by reducing bone deterioration.