Can My Dentures or Bridges Be Secured With Dental Implants?

The answer to this often-asked question is “yes” in many instances.

If your denture is in good shape, we can often use a few dental implants to support a removable implant “overdenture,” also called a fixed bridge restoration, which snaps onto the implants that then function as anchor points for the denture. The fixed prosthesis (implant-supported denture) can only be removed by your dentist. A removable implant-retained denture is another alternative which requires fewer implants, as little as two on a bottom arch.

Benefits over implant-supported or implant-retained dentures include:

• Your dentures are not likely to shift when you eat
• The fixed bridge is customized to fit your smile
• You don’t have to worry about the denture coming loose when you speak
• You will be able to eat foods you avoided with the traditional denture
• No dental adhesive is required
• The result can last a lifetime
• Better bone preservation because of the implants acting as tooth roots and integrating with jaw bone structure

Every Patient is Different

Implant-supported bridges or dentures might provide a better option if you don’t want to take teeth out, have conditions like TMJ that benefit from having teeth in at night, or simply don’t like the idea of not having teeth in your mouth first thing in the morning. But either a fixed prosthesis or removal option both offer functional results that should improve your quality of life. The type of implant/denture combination we suggest will depend on many individual factors including patient age, overall health and supporting jawbone health.

Drs. Levine and Fava will work with you to help determine the best implant/denture combination. Regardless of which option you choose, you’ll have a greatly improved, natural-looking smile.