Dentures are usually a full set of teeth used to replace missing teeth, with normal functioning of chewing. Dentures are recommended when you have multiple teeth missing or all your teeth are extracted, and you don’t have a single one to bite or chew food.
While for single or a couple of extracted teeth, you can have dental implants or bridges to get the new teeth. But do you know that implant-supported dentures are also popular in the market? Yes, we are going to discuss here all the frequently asked questions about implant-supported dentures with their answers.
Q. 1. What are Implant-Supported Dentures?
Ans. Implant-supported dentures are a type of overdenture supported with attached dental implants in the jawbone that is stretched outward from the gums. Just like dentures, implant-supported dentures are used to replace various teeth at a time, but instead of resting on the top of your gums, they are attached directly to your jawbone, just like dental implants.
Also Read: What is Dental Implantology & How are Dental Implants Done
Q. 2. How Do Implant Supported Dentures Work?
Ans. An implant support denture is placed into or screwed into the titanium posts through a surgical process in the jawbone. The entire process takes several hours, in which the dentist inserts two or more titanium rods or screws in the jaw to provide better support and strength to dentures.
Also Read: Why Dental Implants Are Important and its Benefits
Compared to traditional dentures, implant support dentures are more stable, removable, or fixed dental prosthetics, which also prevents bone loss and improves chewing ability. The implant-supported dentures can be used for both upper and lower jaws, and look like permanent dentures with of natural teeth appearance.
Q. 3. Different Types of Implant Supported Dentures
Ans. Mainly, there are two types of implant supported dentures – One is, fixed implant-supported dentures, which is also called hybrid dentures, and the second one is removable implant-supported dentures, also known as overdenture with different attributes.
Fixed implant-supported dentures are permanently attached to the implants through screws or cement that cannot be removed by the users, providing more stability and strength. Whereas removable implant-supported dentures snap onto implants, which allows users to remove it and clean as needed.
Q. 4. How Many Implants are needed for Implant Supported Dentures?
Ans. It depends on the position or arch location of placement and the types of implant-supported dentures. The lower jaw dentures need 2 to 4 implants, while the upper jaw denture requires 4-6 due to high bone density. And for the entire all-on-4, four implants are needed to support a full arch.
Also Read: Steps in Dental Implant Placement: Step-by-Step Procedure
If a dental implant is removable, it can be supported by just two to four implants. While for fixed implants, it requires at least four implants for more stability. However, patients with weak jawbones might require more implants to create a stable foundation for the implant supported dentures.
Q. 5. How Long Do Implant Supported Dentures Last?
Ans. The life of implant-supported dentures depends on the types of implants and the quality of material used. However, a titanium-made implant can last up to the lifetime of the user, while a prosthetic tooth or overdenture can last up to 20 years.
The life of implant-supported dentures also depends on the maintenance and oral care of the patient. The implants are more durable and don’t need such maintenance, but for dentures, more care is required, as it can wear and tear with normal use after 5 to 10 years.
Q. 6. What is the Difference Between Implants and Implant Supported Dentures?
Ans. Dental implants are applied for a single tooth implanted with individual titanium screws, which work like an artificial tooth. While implant-supported dentures are used for the arches of teeth anchored onto 4–8 implants, providing more stability compared to traditional dentures.
Also Read: Dental Bridge and Dental Implant Difference: Which is Better
Implants are the fixed and permanent solution to get new teeth, while implant-supported dentures can be removed or can be fixed as per the needs and usability of the users. Implants can be expensive due to single tooth implant, while implant-supported dentures are more economical due to restoring multiple teeth.
Q. 7. What are the Disadvantages of Implant Supported Dentures?
Ans. The drawback of implant-supported dentures includes the high cost of treatment, the requirement of an invasive surgical process, and the fact that it can take months to heal completely. Apart from that, during the surgery, there is also a risk of infection, nerve damage and long-term maintenance requirements.
Apart from this, it also requires extra maintenance and care to ensure the functionality of the teeth. And to support such implant supported dentures, the bone density must be healthy.
Q. 8. What is the Best Material for Implant Supported Dentures?
Ans. Though there are various types of materials that can be used for implant-supported dentures, Zirconia is the best one, providing the highest durability with an aesthetic look. However, Titanium-Acrylic (Hybrid) is also used to give more comfort with shock-absorbing properties at a low cost.
However, Zirconia can provide more strength and strain resistance, while on the other hand, titanium is stronger and more reliable with a bio-compatible base to fix the jawbone.
Q. 9. How to Clean Implant Supported Dentures?
Ans. For removable implant support dentures, you can simply remove them and properly clean them using a toothbrush or a non-abrasive paste. On the other hand, for fixed implant support dentures, you can use the water flosser, dental flow or gently clean with a toothbrush.
Also Read: What is Dental Scaling and Polishing or Cleaning: Difference
You also need to brush the metal attachments used in implants with a soft brush to remove bacteria. However, you can also use the proxy brush or use the floss threaders to clean your teeth.
Q. 10. How to Care for Implant Supported Dentures?
Ans. To take care of your implant-supported dentures, you need daily cleaning of both the prosthetic and the underlying implants to protect your teeth from infection. You can brush thoroughly using the soft-bristle toothpaste and clean the metal abutments with a soft brush to remove bacteria.
However, for removable implant-supported dentures, you brush with a soft-bristle brush and a non-abrasive cleaner, and soak nightly. And for fixed dentures, you can use flossing with threaders or Waterpiks.
Q. 11. How to Remove Implant Supported Dentures?
Ans. Removing implant-supported dentures depends on the type of implant supported dentures you have. You can take out removable implant-supported dentures yourself at home daily or as per your ease.
While on the other hand, to remove the fixed-hybrid dentures, you need to visit the best dentist in Greater Noida. The dentist will use the advanced tools and techniques to complete this process safely. The dentist will gently lift the denture base away from the gum line to detach it from the implant abutments.
Q. 12. How Much Do Implant Supported Dentures Cost?
Ans. The cost of implant supported dentures also depends on the type of implant dentures you choose for your missing teeth. The implant supported dentures may cost you between Rs 50,000 and Rs 1,50,000 as per the types of implant-supported dentures and the material used in dentures.
Fixed hybrid dentures and removable hybrid dentures are the least costly compared to full mouth implant dentures, which may cost you between Rs 1,50,000 and Rs 3,50,000. However, the cost of treatment also depends on the location of your city and experience of the dentist specialised in dental implant services.
Also Read: Top 10 Frequently Asked Questions about Dental Implants
