Are There Alternatives to Dentures?

Dentures are one of the most well-known tooth replacement options for people looking to replace an entire mouthful of teeth. If you are one of the millions of people who suffer from tooth loss, you may be wondering if dentures are your only option for replacing your missing teeth. This blog post will explore some alternatives to dentures that may be a better fit for your needs. We will start by describing dentures and their shortcomings. Then, we will discuss the various tooth replacement options that are available, including all-on-four implants, implant-supported dentures, and snap on dentures. We will discuss the benefits of each alternative and how they are better than traditional dentures.

Dentures are a common tooth replacement option for people who have lost all of their natural teeth. Dentures are artificial teeth that are made of porcelain or plastic to look like your natural teeth. They are made to rest on your gums and use suction to remain in place. While dentures can provide you with a full set of replacement teeth, they have some significant shortcomings.

First, dentures can be uncomfortable and bulky. They can also slip around in your mouth, making it difficult to eat and speak. This can also cause gum irritation from the dentures rubbing on the gums. Additionally, dentures do not provide the same level of support and stability as natural teeth. As a result, people who wear dentures often experience jawbone loss over time. This affects the fit of the dentures, which is why traditional dentures will generally need to be relined every two years.

Alternatives to Traditional Dentures

Since dentures have a few key shortcomings, there are some people who want to avoid getting dentures altogether. Others may try dentures for a while before deciding that they want to try an alternative restoration. If you are looking for a tooth replacement option that is more comfortable and stable than dentures, you may want to consider implant-supported dentures, zygomatic implants, or all-on-four implants. 

Implant-Supported Dentures

Implant-supported dentures, also known as snap on dentures or overdentures, are a type of denture that is anchored in place by implants. This option is a good choice for people who want the stability of implants but do not want or cannot have all-on-four implants. Implant-supported dentures are also a good choice for people who have lost all of their natural teeth and want a stabilized denture that is also removable.

Implant-supported dentures offer the following benefits: 

• Increased stability and comfort: Implant-supported dentures are much more stable than traditional dentures. This means that they will not slip around in your mouth, making it easier to eat and speak. Additionally, implant-supported dentures are more comfortable because they do not rest on your gums like traditional dentures.

• Reduced gum irritation: Since implant-supported dentures do not rest on your gums, they will not cause the gum irritation that traditional dentures can.

• Improved jawbone health: Implant-supported dentures help to preserve your jawbone by providing it with stimulation. This is because the implants fuse to your jawbone and act like your natural teeth root.

Zygomatic Implants

Zygomatic implants are a type of implant that is used to replace the missing teeth in the upper jaw. These specialized types of implants are longer than traditional implants so that they can be inserted into the zygomatic, or cheek, bones above the jawbone. This allows for implant placement in people who may have decreased bone mass. In some cases, zygomatic implants may be used in coordination with the all-on-four system.

They are a good choice for people who have lost all of their natural teeth and want an implant-supported denture that is also removable.

Zygomatic implants offer the following benefits:

• Increased stability and comfort: Zygomatic implants are much more stable than traditional dentures. This means that they will not slip around in your mouth, making it easier to eat and speak. Additionally, zygomatic implants are more comfortable because they do not rest on your gums like traditional dentures.

• Reduced gum irritation: Since zygomatic implants do not rest on your gums, they will not cause the gum irritation that traditional dentures can.

• Improved jawbone health: Zygomatic implants help to preserve your jawbone by providing it with stimulation. This is because the implants fuse to your jawbone and act like your natural teeth root.

All-on-Four Implants

All-on-four implants are a type of dental implant that is used to replace an entire arch of teeth. The implants are placed in the jawbone in four locations, hence the name all-on-four. The reason why only four implants can be used is because each implant is strategically placed at an angle to have the greatest amount of contact with the bone. These implants act as anchors for the denture, which is then attached to the implants. This option is a good choice for people who want a fixed, non-removable solution that does not require implant placement in every single tooth location.

All-on-four implants offer the following benefits:

• Increased stability and comfort: All-on-four implants are much more stable than traditional dentures. This means that they will not slip around in your mouth, making it easier to eat and speak.

• Reduced gum irritation: Since all-on-four implants do not rest on your gums, they will not cause the gum irritation that traditional dentures can.

• Improved jawbone health: All-on-four implants help to preserve your jawbone by providing it with stimulation. This is because the implants fuse to your jawbone and act like your natural teeth root.

In Conclusion

In this blog, we discussed the various alternatives to traditional dentures. These alternatives include implant-supported dentures, zygomatic implants, and all-on-4 implants. All of these options have their own set of benefits that make them a better choice than traditional dentures. So, if you are considering getting dental implants, be sure to ask your dentist about which option is right for you. Thanks for reading!