Understanding Denture Implants
Denture implants are a dental treatment option for missing teeth. To better understand them, you need to know what conventional dentures and dental implants are.
Conventional Dentures
Dentures are pink plastic bases with artificial teeth attached to them. They are made in a way that they have a groove that sits perfectly on your gum for support. You can take them out as needed (during cleaning and when sleeping) and put them back easily.
There are two types of conventional dentures: partial dentures or full dentures.
- Partial dentures are for patients with only a few teeth missing, meaning the partial denture has few artificial teeth attached. They are attached to the position where you have missing teeth.
- Full dentures are for those patients who have either all of the upper or lower teeth missing, meaning that full dentures have a full set of upper or lower teeth.
Dental Implants
These are metallic implants that are drilled into your jawbone to act as roots for artificial teeth. This means that if you have one missing tooth, you will require one dental implant. If you have three missing teeth, you will need three dental implants. This shows that you require a dental implant for each missing tooth.
Denture Implants
Denture implants are also referred to as permanent dentures or implant-supported dentures. They are a combination of conventional dentures and dental implants. Unlike dental implants where every missing tooth requires an implant, denture implants don't require too many implants. They just need a few to hold the denture in place. Your dentist should tell you how many implants are needed and where they will be placed.
Instead of using your gum for support like conventional dentures do, denture implants are supported by implants drilled into your jawbone, meaning they cannot be removed easily. A dentist is the only person who should take them out.
During denture implant treatment, the dentist usually physically inspects your gums, conducts blood tests and requests x-rays. This is mainly to identify whether denture implants are right for you and whether your general health is good enough to handle denture implant surgery.
An Important Note
The cleaning process of conventional dentures and denture implants is not the same. Remember, you cannot remove denture implants for cleaning purposes. Your dentist should teach you how to effectively clean your denture implants to avoid gum infections or irritation. You might also be required to visit your dentist regularly for inspection.
For more information about denture implants, reach out to a dentist.