What Are Implant-Retained Dentures?
Unlike traditional dentures, which rely on suction and soft tissue support to stay in place and are removable, implant-retained dentures combine the advantages of dentures with those of dental implants. You get to enjoy the stability, esthetics, and longevity of implants with the affordability of dentures, as well as a much shorter recovery period than a full mouth reconstruction with conventional individual implants would require.
How Do Implant-Retained Dentures Work?
Where conventional dental implants are one per tooth, implant-retained dentures are held in place by only four implants per arch to give them permanent stability. That’s about 24 fewer implants! Because these dentures are supported by the bone, they don’t put pressure on the gums. This makes chewing much easier and helps reduce bone loss in the jaw. They are more common for the lower jaw, but can also be made for the upper jaw.
Who Does Dr. Morshedi Recommend Them For?
Dr. Morshedi may recommend implant-retained dentures for patients with no natural teeth remaining if they still have enough healthy jaw bone to support the implants, particularly when full mouth reconstruction with individual implants is outside the patient’s price range. If you want to learn more about implant-retained dentures, call (650) 494-1122 or send us an email.
Implant-Retained Dentures as a Stable Denture Option
Implant-retained dentures are designed for patients who want more stability than traditional dentures provide but may not be candidates for — or interested in — a full set of individual implants. By anchoring a denture to just a handful of implants, patients get a secure, comfortable fit at a lower cost and with a shorter treatment timeline than full-arch implant reconstruction.
Because the denture snaps onto the implants, it can typically still be removed by the patient for cleaning, unlike a hybrid prosthesis, which offers a middle ground between traditional removable dentures and a fully fixed solution. Patients throughout Palo Alto, Mountain View, and Redwood City often choose this option when jawbone density is sufficient for implants but a full-arch fixed prosthesis isn’t within budget.
Implant-Retained Dentures Frequently Asked Questions
Can implant-retained dentures be removed for cleaning?
Yes, in most cases implant-retained dentures snap onto the implants and can be removed by the patient daily for cleaning, unlike a fixed hybrid prosthesis. Your dentist will show you the correct process during your fitting.
How many implants are needed for implant-retained dentures?
Typically four implants per arch are used to secure an implant-retained denture, significantly fewer than the number needed for individual tooth-by-tooth implants.
Are implant-retained dentures more affordable than full implant reconstruction?
Yes, because fewer implants are used, implant-retained dentures are generally more affordable than replacing every tooth with an individual implant, while still offering more stability than traditional dentures.