According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the global prevalence of total tooth loss for patients 60 and up is 23%. This is a significant portion of the population who struggle every day with eating, speaking clearly, and smiling confidently. For patients with total tooth loss, restoring their smile isn’t just a cosmetic procedure. Replacing teeth is a necessary step towards improving one’s overall quality of life! At St. Apollonia Dental in Sterling Heights, MI, we offer full arch dental implants that restore your entire smile by anchoring a denture in place. If you’re interested in full arch replacement, book a free consultation with St. Apollonia Dental today to learn more!
What Is a Full Arch of Dental Implants
A full arch of teeth describes the entire row of teeth on your top or bottom jaw. By following the natural curve of your jaw, your teeth create a horseshoe-like arch, allowing you to chew effectively.
When you lose these teeth, you need a full arch replacement that restores each individual tooth.
Traditional dentures are the classic example of a full-arch tooth replacement. But while traditional dentures originally fit perfectly in the contours of your mouth, they tend to lose that fit over time. When loose, dentures fail to perform simple tasks like chewing or speaking clearly. Instead, patients are stuck with similar problems they had while toothless!
But with a full arch of dental implants, your replacement smile will stay secure for years to come.
Dental implants are titanium screws that we place in your jawbone to act as foundations for artificial teeth. By placing these implants strategically around your jaw, we create a strong connection that secures your denture in place!
However, when possible, St. Apollonia Dental prefers to use mini dental implants. These narrow-diameter posts are smaller than conventional implants, with a faster healing time and less discomfort. While not everyone is eligible for mini dental implants, most patients are.
Our Full Arch Dental Implant Options
At St. Apollonia Dental, we offer multiple implant denture options that restore your smile. These include:
Snap-On Dentures
For patients who want a fully removable solution like a traditional denture, we reccomend snap-on dentures. This restoration uses 4 to 8 mini implants for support and can “snap” on and off your implants with ease.
Additionally, because these dentures have mini implant support, they don’t require the bulky upper denture plate that traditional restorations do. This design creates a more comfortable fit and frees up your upper taste buds, allowing you to fully enjoy foods and drinks.
With a snap on denture, be sure to remove it regularly to clean your prosthetic and your gums. This is a crucial hygiene step you can’t skip if you want to keep your smile healthy. Also, visit St. Apollonia Dental for routine checkups to ensure your denture is still in working order.
Roundhouse Bridges
A roundhouse bridge is like a denture, in that it replaces all of your teeth. But rather than using a bulky denture base, this restoration is much sleeker.
A semi-permanent roundhouse bridge typically has a small amount of artificial gum. Then, using 6 to 10 mini implants for support, your denture is secured in your smile! Rather than removing your denture yourself, only a dental professional can remove it. During routine dental cleanings, we will take off your prosthetic to keep your gums healthy and in good condition.
A permanent roundhouse bridge totally forgoes the gum base, unless you need it for aesthetic purposes. Instead, your denture secures directly on 10 to 12 mini implants. This restoration is the most secure implant denture option, as not even we remove it. To care for your restoration, be sure to brush, floss, and attend routine dental visits like you would with natural teeth.
Because of their sleek design, roundhouse bridges are incredibly natural-looking. With this permanent denture in place, you can eat and speak confidently without worry about loose dentures.
Restore Your Smile in Sterling Heights, MI!
If you’re one of the millions of people without teeth, St. Apollonia Dental has a solution for you! With full arch dental implants, we restore your smile and secure dentures to your jawbone. These restorations allow you to function as you would with your natural teeth.
If you’re interested in full arch dental implants, book a free consultation with us to learn whether you’re eligible for treatment.
