Implant Supported Dentistry Provides Numerous Options for Tooth Replacement

Implant supported dentistry is one of the fastest growing trends among people who have lost all of their teeth. You have probably heard how dental implants can give you completely natural looking teeth on an individual basis. This is an amazing tooth replacement option if you still have ay of your other teeth. However, for many of our patients this is not the best options since they have lost an entire set of teeth. In cases like this we would typically be looking at a denture, often a removable set. There are inherent challenges with placing a denture in a patient's mouth, challenges that have led to implant supported dentistry which is an important change in how dentures are placed, the impact they have on your quality of life, and how they interact with the rest of your mouth.

Before implant supported dentistry, our Santa Cruz dental office only had the option of using a traditional denture when replacing a large number of teeth. While this was often an economically viable solution, there were challenges. For example the dentures were loose fitting and left the patient with a sense of uncertainty about how secure the dentures were. This looseness could cause them to slip when a person was eating or speaking and not only made the person uncomfortable but could also cause damage if they slipped at the wrong moment. From a dentists' perspective dentures slowly wore down the bony ridges that supported the teeth, by pressing down on them. All of these issues led us to search for a better solution - implant supported dentures, giving rise to the idea of implant supported dentistry at the same time.

Dental implants are tiny titanium screws that are placed directly into the jawbone. They do a number of things for you. First, they provide a stable base on which we can then attach a new tooth or your dentures. The implants act like the root of your teeth, providing the dentures with a strong foundation and also acting in concert with your jawbone. The titanium in the implants bond with the jawbone, replicating the kind of symbiotic relationship that the root of a tooth has with the jaw. With regard to implant supported dentistry what this does is give you a strong, viable, and invisible way for us to attach your dentures.

Dentures that are supported by dental implants are placed on top of the implant, meaning that they do not press directly onto the bone, and hence minimize the amount of pressure on the bone. Additionally, they are actually attached to the dental implant, which means there is no chance of them slipping around while you are trying to eat or speak. This gives a person an immediate boost in confidence. These dentures can still be removed from the mouth for cleaning and maintenance, something you should do on a regular basis if you have a removable denture.

With implant supported dentistry, our Santa Cruz dental office has several ways to replace your teeth, including individually and by providing a base for your dentures.  To discuss all of your options in detail, call (831) 580-1141 and schedule an appointment.