Full Dentures Made Better With Mini Implants

Have you ever asked someone why they do things a certain way, only to hear the response, “Because that’s the way we’ve always done it”? For many years, traditional full dentures were the go-to solution for complete tooth replacement. But the problem with a solution that works is that sometimes we keep using it long after other, better solutions have been discovered simply out of habit or convenience. Such is the case with full dentures. They’re a workable solution, but they’ve long overstayed their welcome as the best way to replace a full set of teeth.

These days, the superior tooth replacement option is implant dentures that use mini dental implants. They offer greater stability and durability than full dentures while looking and functioning more like natural teeth.

A Brief History of Full Dentures

Dentures have existed since 2500 B.C., when they were made from primitive materials like animal teeth, wire, and bone. Over the years and around the world, different objects were tried as tooth replacements, such as wood in 16th century Japan or porcelain and gold in 18th century Europe. One of the most well-known sets of false teeth—George Washington’s wooden teeth—was actually made mostly out of ivory. Developing a hard, cheap rubber material called Vulcanite in the mid-1800s made dentures more available to everyone. The acrylic resin we still use today was popularized in the late 1930s, and that’s where the problem began.

The traditional dentures we still use today—the ones that pop into your head when you think of stereotypical dentures—are essentially the same as those designs from the middle of the last century. And that brings the same problems that have plagued dentures since that first pair thousands of years ago.

The Problems With Full Dentures

While it’s true that full dentures restore some of the look and functionality of your teeth, they come with several issues that can make life difficult.

• Embarrassing moments: Because they are resting on top of your gums, there is a danger that full dentures will slip or even fall out at inopportune or embarrassing moments. Nobody wants to be the butt of a joke because of their teeth.
• Poor fit: Traditional dentures lose their fit over time, both because they suffer wear and tear and because the shape of your mouth changes. By not replacing missing tooth roots, the jawbone doesn’t receive the stimulation it needs to stay healthy. Eventually, bone and tissue density will deteriorate.
• Risk of damage or loss: Full dentures carry a greater risk of damage or loss than implant dentures because they are meant to be easily removed.
• Messy adhesives: Some denture wearers use messy and expensive adhesives to stabilize their dentures. That’s just one extra hassle—and expense—to deal with.

Implant Dentures to the Rescue

Fortunately, there is a solution out there that takes care of all the issues of full dentures and comes with added benefits of their own: implant dentures. These modern tooth restorations use mini implants to secure the prosthetic directly to your jawbone with minimally-invasive titanium screws. Implant dentures come in removable and non-removable options, and, in certain cases, we can even turn your existing pair of traditional dentures into implant dentures.

There are three types of implant dentures, listed here in order of increasing level of stability:

1. Overdentures: Sometimes referred to as “snap-on” or “implant-retained” dentures, these removable dentures attach to somewhere between 4-8 mini implants. They’re a hybrid between traditional and implant dentures, offering increased stability while remaining removable at home.
2. Fix-on-Six®: This type of implant denture is “semi-removable” because only an experienced implant dentist like Dr. Cabrera can remove it for a professional cleaning. The Fix-on-Six system uses 6-10 mini implants to secure itself to the jaw. If you’ve heard of All-on-4®, this version of that system uses mini implants instead of larger, traditional implants.
3. Non-removable roundhouse bridge: Offering the utmost stability and functionality, this full-arch zirconia bridge is cemented to 10-12 mini implants. It looks and acts the most like real teeth and will last a lifetime if properly cared for.

Extra Benefits of Mini Implants

Just by using mini dental implants rather than the larger traditional implants, implant dentures gain additional unique benefits.

• One-day procedure: The placement procedure for inserting mini implants is minimally invasive. Dr. Cabrera can insert them into the jaw and attach them to your new dentures in one visit.
• Fast recovery: That minimally invasive procedure also means that most people only report mild discomfort and return to feeling normal within 48 hours.
• Cost-effective: Because you don’t need multiple dental visits over many months, that reduces the cost of getting mini implants significantly.
• Reliability: Not only do mini implants have the strength of titanium, but they offer more stability than traditional implants. Their slim profile allows us to use more of them in the implant process. This spreads out the force placed on them more evenly and provides extra security.

Upgrade Your Full Dentures

Just because dentures have existed for thousands of years doesn’t mean you have to live in the past. Implant dentures are a better option in almost every way and give you options depending on what you’re looking for.

At Tampa Bay Mini Dental Implants, Dr. Cabrera offers the expertise of an implant specialist. Her caring and experienced team will assist with the implant denture process from initial consultation to a new, confident smile. Don’t wait any longer; contact us for a consultation and start your journey today.