The Magic of Implant-Retained Dentures
What Are Implant-Retained Dentures?
Implant-retained dentures differ from conventional dentures, which depend on suction and soft tissue contact for retention and can be taken out, by merging the functional benefits of both dentures and dental implants. This approach provides the stability, esthetic outcomes, and durability associated with implants alongside the lower cost typical of dentures, and the recovery time involved is considerably shorter than what a full-mouth reconstruction using individual conventional implants would entail.
How Do Implant-Retained Dentures Work?
Conventional dental implants replace individual teeth on a one-to-one basis, whereas implant-retained dentures achieve stable, permanent support across an entire arch using only four implants — a reduction of roughly 24 implants compared to replacing each tooth individually. Because the denture is anchored to the underlying bone rather than resting on soft tissue, pressure on the gums is avoided. This allows for more effective chewing and can help slow the progression of jawbone loss. While this approach is more frequently used for the lower jaw, it can be applied to the upper jaw as well.
Who Does Dr. Khatibian Recommend Them For?
Dr. Khatibian 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 our Sunnyvale office at (408) 774-1200 or our San Jose office at (408) 300-0767 or send us an email.
