Are you tired of your loose denture? Are you sick of needing relines and ending up with the same irritated gums and denture sores? Floating dentures are an unfortunate consequence of traditional dentures, but did you know there is a more stable solution? At St. Apollonia Dental, we provide mini dental implants to stabilize loose dentures, eliminating all their troublesome disadvantages! Where traditional dentures slip in your mouth, struggle to break down foods, and fall out at inopportune moments, implant dentures stay stable in your mouth, providing excellent function. Implant-retained dentures have even been shown to improve a patient’s quality of life compared to conventional dentures, making them the ideal denture solution!
Why Do I Have a Loose Denture?
If dentures are custom-made to fit the contours of your mouth, then why do they become loose?
While dentures do replace the crown of your tooth (the part visible above the gumline), they do not replace the root of your tooth. A tooth root is the bottom half of the tooth that lies below the gums, embedded in the jawbone. When you bite or chew with natural teeth, the root stimulates your jawbone, helping to maintain its mass and volume. Without stimulation, your bone will begin to resorb, losing its shape and density.
Because dentures can’t replace the tooth root, your jawbone will continue to shrink, creating an unstable foundation for your lower denture. Without constant denture relines, your lower denture will continue sliding around your gums, causing irritation. Unfortunately, loose dentures also make it more difficult to chew as they lack the force you need to break down some foods. This often leads to a change in diet and nutritional intake, which can have devastating consequences.
The best solution for loose dentures is to anchor them with dental implants to provide them with amazing stability!
Say Goodbye to Your Loose Denture With Dental Implants
Dental implants are titanium posts we secure into your jawbone to anchor your denture! At St. Apollonia Dental, we use two main kinds of dental implants.
Conventional dental implants are around 5 millimeters in diameter and have three distinct parts. The first is the body, which is embedded into the jawbone. The second is the abutment, which secures the restoration, and the third is the screw, which secures them together. These three parts come together to form a very solid foundation for your denture.
To place conventional implants, we first make an incision in the gums to reveal the bone underneath. Then, using a series of drills increasing in size, we create a hole in your jawbone that fits the implant. We place each component at a different appointment, with a healing period in between. Overall, it takes around 4-6 months to heal and integrate into the jawbone, allowing us to secure a restoration.
St. Apollonia also provides mini dental implants, the smaller and sleeker version of a conventional implant. These implants are less than 3 millimeters in diameter and consist of only one piece of titanium.
To place these implants, we use a minimally invasive procedure that requires no incisions or stitches. Instead, we create a small pilot hole in the gums and carefully insert the implant into the jawbone. After placement, these implants are remarkably stable! They can instantly support a temporary restoration you wear until your final one arrives. Due to their minimally invasive procedure and narrow diameter, the healing time is significantly reduced! In just a few weeks, your implants will be secure enough to support a final denture restoration.
As for which implant is right for you, we’ll need to evaluate your jawbone during your free consultation to determine the best type and size!
Mini Implant Denture Solutions
We offer three types of mini implant dentures at St. Apollonia. These include:
- Snap-on denture: As the name suggests, this denture “snaps” on and off 4-8 mini implants. This easy removal allows these dentures to stay secure in your mouth and to come out for easy cleaning! Additionally, if your current traditional denture is in great condition, we may be able to transform it into a snap-on denture!
- Semi-permanent roundhouse: This denture is semi-permanent as you never remove it from your implants. Only trained professionals like us at St. Apollonia Dental would take them out for routine checkups. Otherwise, they stay secure on 6-10 implants and provide excellent comfort and function!
- Permanent roundhouse: A permanent roundhouse bridge is cemented onto your implants, never to come out. This restoration is most similar to your natural teeth, as it looks seamless in your mouth and provides incredible durability. With a permanent roundhouse, you can enjoy eating all the foods you couldn’t before and a gorgeous, brand-new smile!
No matter what type of implant denture you are looking for, we will help you find the best fit for your smile. Trust St. Apollonia to provide excellent quality care, as we have been serving patients like you for 42 years in our community!
Secure Your Loose Denture Today at St. Apollonia Dental!
If you are struggling with a loose denture, try a more stable option! We offer implant-retained solutions that secure your smile in place, allowing for better function. If your existing denture is in good condition, we can even stabilize it using mini dental implants! Schedule a free consultation today to find out what implant and restoration work best for you!