Missing All Lower or Upper Teeth | Montgomery AL

Although dentures provide a cost effective replacement for missing teeth few patients truly enjoy living with a denture. Dental implants can be used to better secure your denture giving you back similar function to your natural teeth. 

Locator Attached Fixed/Removable Overdenture

One option is to have two implants placed in your lower jaw or 4 implants placed in the upper jaw (the upper jawbone is weaker so it requires more implants). A denture is then made that snaps onto these implants with devices known as “locators”. This option allows your denture to be more stable while chewing than without implants. On the top jaw it also allows the acrylic that covers the roof of your mouth to be removed.  There will still will be some movement of your denture, and sore spots can occur if any food particles, especially seeds, are caught under it. As with all removable replacement teeth, you still will need periodic appointments for denture adjustment, as well as, removal at night for cleaning. 

Bar Attachment Fixed/Removable Overdenture

Another option involves placing four to six implants, depending on your jaw size or shape, into your lower jaw. After healing is complete, the implants are connected with a custom-made support bar. Your denture will be made with special internal retention clips that attach onto the support bar, enabling the denture to snap firmly into place. This is called an “overdenture.” The advantage of this option is that it is much more stable than the first option and allows very little denture movement. Your denture will still need  to be removed at night for cleaning. This option is slightly more expensive as a custom bar needs to be constructed by the lab. Click here for an animation of the procedure. 

Screw Retained Fixed Prosthesis (All-on-4)

A third option involves placing four or more implants in your jaw and attaching a permanent denture. Often times a temporary denture can be attacehd to the implants on the day of surgery (teeth in a day).  It is held in place by screws that only your dentist or surgeon can remove.  It doesn’t rest on the gum tissue, which allows you to clean under the denture without removing it. A final denture is then fabricated once the implant healing has been confirmed at 3-4 months. Although cleaning under your denture without removing it is more time consuming and requires more dexterity, many patients who want a permanent denture prefer this option. This is the most expensive of the options, but also provides the closest replacement to your original teeth often times looking better than your natural teeth. Click here to see a video of an All-On-4 restoration.