Thanks to modern, highly lifelike dentures, patients who’ve lost all their teeth on the upper or lower dental ridge can still enjoy a lifetime of full, healthy, and beautiful smiles, complete with full bite function and restored confidence. However, patients who’ve worn dentures for a while are familiar with the few drawbacks, such as the appliance no longer fitting the way it should and shifting painfully along the dental ridge. Fortunately, you can make your denture better by securing it to a series of prosthetic root-like dental implants.
The Problem with Conventional Dentures
It’s a common belief that the reason dentures become loose over time is because the supportive base, which conforms to your dental ridge, becomes worn down. This may be true to some extent, but the more substantial reason is because your jawbone is shrinking. After losing teeth, your jawbone gradually loses density. Without the teeth’s roots there to stimulate it, your jawbone receives fewer nutrients to sustain itself. As your jawbone shrinks, the denture on top of it becomes too big, and as a result, it will shift more and more until you have it readjusted or replaced.
What Could Dental Implants Do?
Dental implants are small, titanium posts that are inserted into the empty areas of your jawbone. They act as prosthetic teeth roots in several ways, most notably supporting your replacement teeth and reestablishing stimulation in your jawbone. To support a denture, your dentist might suggest strategically placing 4-6 implant posts within the dental ridge, and then using the posts to support your lifelike denture. This not only anchors your appliance in place, but also helps slow or prevent the jawbone erosion that caused your dentures to slip in the past.
Find Out About Improving Your Denture with Implants
If you’re tired of your denture slipping or feeling as though it no longer fits, then you may be able to improve it with a series of dental implants. To learn more, schedule an appointment by calling the Sunny Smiles dental office nearest you in El Paso, TX, today! We have offices in the East, Northeast, and Westside of El Paso, and happily welcome patients from all nearby communities, including Chaparral, Canutillo, Vinton, and Sunland Park, New Mexico.