A lot of people have dentures. It is estimated that approx. 10% of US population have dentures of some sort. They could be partial dentures (people have some teeth) or complete dentures (people do not have any teeth left).
There is a saying amongst dentists that ” there are no good dentures, there are only good denture wearers”. This came from the fact that dentures (especially the lower ones) are not very stable in the mouth. They move slightly upon eating, chewing, speaking, drinking, etc…, this is why patients use Fixodent or other adhesives to keep them stable in the mouth. The issue with Fixodent is that it washes away being swallowed constantly and creating taste and stomach problems. The other issue is that it is expensive and it needs to be purchased constantly.
Having only a few teeth or no teeth is an unfortunate situation to start with. Having unstable dentures is also not pleasant. But having stable dentures is a decent situation. Some patients have stable dentures just because they have a lot of bone left that can support and stabilize them. Other patients do not have that kind of bone so they need implants to stabilize and retain their dentures.
Two kinds of implants can be used for dentures: regular or mini implants.
Regular implants are the gold standard for this kind of situations. They are great, they last for long, long time, they are going to keep the denture stable and sturdy in the patient’s mouth. The patients are able to eat corn on the cob, bite from an apple, chewing a stake, etc… Like anything else which has a lot of value, they can be pricey or not affordable for some patients. But if a patient can afford them, they are going to be a great investment and provide a lot of service for the money paid.
Another choice is the mini implants. They are smaller diameter implants which are placed in the jaw using a flapless procedure, so there is no healing time needed and they can be loaded immediately with the denture. Their advantage is that when thay are used, the dentist can use the existing denture and after the two hours procedure the patient has everything done, a permanent denture. Also, the fees are a lot lower (approx $2000) comparing with regular implants, there is only one procedure, no healing period required, no flaps, instant gratification.
There are a couple reputable companies manufacturing this kind of implants and attachments. My favorite is Imtec 3M. They have a long documented history and research regarding their product.
If you want to learn more about the use of implants with dentures, please visit Dentures or call our Dental Office “Sewell Dental Arts” in Washington Township, NJ 08028 for a free consultation with the dentist, Dr. Pastiu at 856-582-2220.