Missing All Lower Teeth

While most people aren’t bothered by wearing an upper denture, some patients have issues with wearing and eating with lower dentures. There are many available implant-supported replacement choices if you have lost all of your lower teeth.

Ball Attachment Denture

One possibility is to place two implants in your lower jaw along with a custom denture that fits onto these implants. This choice stabilizes your lower denture while chewing which is a drastic improvement over a denture with no implants. Your lower denture can still move however, and sore areas will appear if any food particles, particularly seeds, are trapped under it. Regular appointments are essential to maintain the fit of your denture.

Bar Attachment Denture

Another choice includes putting four to six implants, based on your jaw shape or size, into your lower jaw. After total healing, the implants are linked with a customized support bar. Precise internal retention clips that connect with the support bar are used within your denture, allowing it to snap firmly into its position. This is referred to as an “overdenture The benefit of this choice is the increase in stability compared to the first option. You can still remove your denture for easy cleaning and care.

Screw Retained Denture

A third plan includes placing five or more implants in your jaw and connecting a permanent denture. Dentures are held in position via screws or clasps that fixes it for the support of posts or bar. It has no contact with the gum tissue, enabling easy cleaning of under the denture with no removal. This denture serves as a substitute for all your missing lower teeth and will only be removed at maintenance appointments. Although good hygiene with this type of denture requires more time and skill, many people who desire a permanent denture choose this as their preferred option.

Individual Implants

The last option is to individually replace all your teeth so that they will seemingly look like they are growing out of your gum tissue and will have a similar appearance to your natural teeth. This choice usually requires greater than seven implants. We will provide individual abutments or support posts for each one of these implants and place crowns for each missing tooth. The teeth are usually connected together for increased strength and support. In general, this is the most expensive plan, because it requires the most implants and separate, individual tooth fabrication. Current size and shape of your jawbone may limit your substitution methods.

What if I’m missing all of my upper teeth?

A similar range of management options exist for your upper jaw. However, more implants are often needed to support the new replacement teeth due to less rigidity of the bone as compared to the lower jaw. Based on the number of implants required for placement, you can eliminate the requirement for covering the roof of your mouth entirely with a denture. This will enable you to fully taste your food and helps you decipher its temperature. Your denture will feel more like your teeth. You will still have a removable denture, that simplifies cleaning the support bar and denture.