Prosthodontics is the field in the Dentistry that governs the discipline concerned in the construction of teeth replacements or prosthetics. Given how valuable the teeth are to a person, the loss of even a single tooth will require replacement, so that function and aesthetics can be restored.
When a patient sees his dentist for prosthesis, the dentist prescribes a solution based on the existing condition of the mouth. Teeth replacement may be done with removable or fixed dentures, but when a patient has already lost all of his teeth, his only option is to get complete dentures — the prosthesis that is set to replace all the teeth in jaw. It extends throughout the arch, crossing the midline and it is made stable enough to endure functional force. There are no natural tooth remaining in the mouth, so the dentures rely on the bone and surface tension to be retained in the mouth. When bone is insufficient, complete dentures meet great failure. The dentures become loose and uncomfortable to wear, so they are quite unreliable.
When the use of complete dentures is no longer ideal, a patient who has lost all his teeth can opt for implant-supported complete dentures. As the name suggests, the dentures are offered some stability by the dental implants. The implants are embedded at specific areas on the bone, and the prosthesis is designed around it so that when the complete dentures are worn, the patient can rely on better function and stability. The once removable prosthesis behave much like a fixed denture, in terms of retention, function and aesthetics.
What Patients Say
Long time denture wearers have always been happy with their dentures but with constant wear and tear, the bone endures much of the load, so compromising retention of the prosthesis. The introduction of implant-supported dentures changes everything:
Bone is preserved in two ways. First of all, the implants may be installed into the socket right away, so the natural resorption of the bone can be prevented. The incorporation of several implants also spreads the load evenly instead of letting it all fall on the bone. That way, much of the bone’s health is preserved.
No more embarrassment caused by loose complete dentures that get dislodged during function.
When the retention of the dentures is not good, the dentures become loose and quite unreliable so they are often removed during function. Implant-supported dentures will never get dislodged during speech, while you eat or even when you laugh uncontrollably. The implants make it stable and very functional.
Installing dental implants have been quite popular in the recent years. The stability that titanium implants offer to patients are unrivaled by any other prosthetic option, but it is not always a good idea to have multiple dental implants because it is very expensive to have to replace all the lost teeth with a single unit. By prescribing implant-supported dentures to patients a dentist is able to offer patients with a perfect option that is cheaper and just as reliable.