Denture implants are different from conventional false teeth. If your image of a denture is something that will easily slip around on a bracket when you are speaking or eating, then these sorts of false teeth certainly still exist. However, dentists are also highly likely to recommend implant dentures instead these days. Although it must be mentioned that implant dentures require surgical work to be carried out before they can be fitted, they offer several advantages over conventional false teeth. Read on to find out more about modern dental implants and why they might suit you.
The first thing to note about dental implants is that they are commonly made of metal. This does not mean that you will end up with a mouthful of metal when you smile, however. Simply put, a dental surgeon will drill into your upper or lower jaw, depending on where the denture implants will be needed, to insert them. Various types of implants are made these days, but they all work in a similar way by acting like a peg or a screw, which makes a permanent fixing point in your mouth. These metal pegs protrude a little way out of your gum line so that your denture can attach to them in a highly secure manner. Depending upon the sort of dental implant you need, between two and six of these metal fixing posts will be drilled into your jaw.
What makes an implant denture different from a normal one is that it is designed to the exact same shape of the dental implants that have been inserted into your mouth. As such, a denture of this type is specifically made to measure with fixings that will attach and grip each of the posts that have been surgically inserted. Many people with traditional dentures find that the clips they come with, which often wrap over a good remaining tooth, are uncomfortable or irritate their gums or palette. Because the anchor points of dental implants spread the weight of false teeth, they tend to be more comfortable. What's more, taking the denture in and out for cleaning is often found by patients to be easier.
As well as greater comfort, dental implants are more secure and look less like a set of false teeth than other options. Furthermore, they last a long time. Conventional false teeth sometimes need to be replaced after as little as five years because the gums they sit on change shape, something which is much less of an issue with implants.
Share7 November 2019
I have worked as a school nurse for decades. Children come to me with all sorts of scrapes and bumps and bruises. Black eyes from playing football, sprained wrists from falling off the monkey bars and stomachaches from too many sweets are common complaints. However, the issue that seems to cause the greatest angst is tooth problems. Sometimes a child will have a second tooth knocked out when playing sport and parents arrive in tears. At other times, children come to my office crying because their friends are teasing them about teeth that are discoloured or stick out. I take an active interest in the latest dental news so that I can give parents and children comfort and advice. I have included some of my collected wisdom on these pages. Perhaps this information can help you understand some options when faced with a dental problem. Thank you for reading.