For people that have no teeth or are facing the prospect of having their teeth extracted, a great fitting set of dentures is a very good way of recovering oral function and aesthetics. While traditional dentures have their drawbacks when compared to natural teeth, they are definitely an improvement over having no teeth or teeth that are heavily decayed or worn.
For many, traditional dentures are all they need and are satisfied with them despite the drawbacks. Others, on the other hand, see the limitations of the traditional denture and instead seek a hybrid or implant supported denture. Here are some of the reasons why someone may choose an implant supported denture over a traditional, removable one:
Improved Stability When Eating or Talking
While traditional dentures do have some stability with natural adhesion or denture adhesive, it’s nowhere near the level of security of implant-supported ones. With hybrid dentures people can take larger bites and bite with greater force. The stability also provides more confidence while talking.
Preventing Bone Loss after Extraction
The body has a ‘use it or lose it’ approach when it comes to the jaw bone. After tooth extraction the body can sense that the jaw no longer uses the bone in which the teeth were rooted and starts absorbing it for resources in a process dentists call resorption. Implant supported dentures can help combat this since there are now implants in the jaw bone engaging with it and letting it know that it’s still in use. If you intend on getting implants after extraction, it’s better to get them sooner rather than later, since once the bone is lost it will require an additional procedure to build it back.
No Special Care Needed
Unlike traditional dentures that need to be removed and soaked every day, hybrid dentures can stay in the mouth and are cleaned while you brush. Relining of the denture is also no longer needed with an implant-supported hybrid denture since the denture sits atop of implants instead of the gums that may change over time (especially with bone loss). Since there is no soaking and it’s not removable, there’s also no fear of losing it or having it damaged outside your mouth.
If you live near Nashua and are looking to transition from traditional dentures to hybrid dentures, or if you are considering which denture to get for the first time, please schedule a consultation with one of our dentists. Our dental team has a lot of experience with implants and dentures and even have an on-site periodontist that can perform surgeries associated with dental implants.