Teeth may be lost due to gum disease, dental complications, or injuries. Gone are the days of patients being unhappy with ill-fitting dentures. With the advancement of dental implants, you can now restore your smile with better functionality through implant-supported dentures at Lepore Comprehensive Dentistry in Dunedin, FL.
What Are Dental Implants?
Dental implants are titanium restorations used to replace missing teeth in various ways. These posts are made of metal and placed into the jawbone during oral surgery. Doing so offers a foundation for a restoration like a dental crown, dental bridge, or full denture. The most popular way dental implants are used is for fixed hybrid dentures. Fixed hybrid dentures are used along with dental implants, which offer stability for the denture. It eliminates the need for denture adhesives, as they are placed over the implants and are fixed and removed by the dentist.
Fixed Hybrid Dentures
Caring For Fixed Hybrid Dentures
With fixed hybrid dentures, patients have a permanent option to consider. The fixed hybrid denture is the best solution for patients missing all their teeth in a particular arch (upper jaw, lower jaw, or both) and wanting something much more comparable to their natural teeth. This implant restoration is fixed or screwed into place and can’t be taken out by the patient. The doctor can only remove it if needed at recall hygiene appointments. This is an amazing restoration, perfect for someone who dislikes taking a denture in and out of their mouth.
BEFORE
AFTER
The Advantages Of Fixed Hybrid Dentures:
- A unique metal bar/framework is devised that is screwed onto the implants as a firm foundation and increases stability. The replacement teeth are set on top of the denture framework.
- Fixed restorations (screwed-in) give the most bite force and functionality back and can feel like natural teeth.
- It replaces missing teeth and stops gum tissue loss due to irreversible bone resorption.
- Less bulky material is needed compared to traditional dentures.
- Small spaces are left between both the gums and appliance to allow for proper cleaning—good oral hygiene is vital with dentures that are not removable.
- Implants stabilize bone loss and take the pressure of the dentures off the gums.
All About Implant Dentures Explained By Dr. Ryan Lepore
Are you tired of maintaining dentures? Then implant dentures are what you are looking for. What are implant dentures? Watch this video to learn more.
How Do I Care For Fixed Hybrid Dentures?
Taking good care of your fixed hybrid denture helps it last longer and ensures good oral health and wellness over time, increasing the longevity of the denture and reducing the costs of using it over time. Fixed hybrid dentures should be brushed at least twice daily using short strokes, brushing the outer and inner chewing forces. Brushing the pink acrylic part is essential as well.
Maintaining fixed hybrid dentures with home care may seem challenging because of the need to brush and floss around the appliance, but caring for the tissue underneath can prevent gum inflammation and damage to the implants. The hardened area needs regular cleaning to remove food particles and plaque that can help bacteria form. Hybrid dentures are designed to leave a space between the gums and dentures to ensure proper cleaning without removing the denture.
Patients can use specially designed floss to a thread within the space to remove buildup. Interdental brushes, electric water picks, or air flossers can also be used. Cleaning this area is vital to reduce the risk of infection and inflammation. Drs. Ryan Lepore and Erin Dougherty encourage patients to visit the dentist regularly to remove the denture and ensure the areas around the implant are clean and healthy.
Locator Retained Overdenture
A locator retained denture is a removable implant-supported appliance where the denture “snaps” into the dental implants. This type of teeth replacement solution can function with two implants for your lower jaw; however, at least four implants are typically recommended. For your upper jaw, a minimum of four is required.
Benefits Of Locator Overdentures:
- Supremely excellent retention and stability to traditional dentures
- Easily removed and cleaned
- Life-like appearance
How Do I Care For A Locator Retained Overdenture?
Caring for this appliance is more straightforward as the patient can remove this particular type of denture. Patients will want to ensure their dentures remain moist by storing them in a cleaner solution at night when not wearing them. By removing this denture, patients can ensure they reach the gum tissues where food particles can get stuck to ensure proper oral health and wellness every day. After receiving locator retained overdentures, patients will receive instructions from Dr. Ryan Lepore or Dr. Erin Dougherty on caring for their new oral appliance.
Which Type Of Fixed Or Attached Denture Is Right For Me?
During a consultation with Dr. Ryan Lepore or Dr. Erin Dougherty, patients in Dunedin, FL, will talk to them about their unique dental needs. Patients needing to replace all the teeth in the dental arch have several options. Learning about each helps make an educated decision on the most appropriate solution. For some, the ability to remove the denture at home is essential to ensure easy care, while others want more stable solutions such as hybrid fixed dentures.
Patients considering these implant-retained dentures will also need to have sufficient bone structure to ensure the successful placement of the implants before placing dental appliances. This is determined with dental x-rays that allow our team to see the patient’s jawbone structure and determine if implants can be placed easily. Patients who are not proper candidates for implants can still have these dentures placed if they seek bone grafting procedures to build up the bone and prepare it for implant-retained dentures in the future.
Schedule A Consultation Today
To learn more about Hybrid Implant Dentures or Locator Retained Dentures and how we can help you, give our team a call today. Drs. Ryan Lepore and Dr. Erin Dougherty and their team at Lepore Comprehensive Dentistry of Dunedin, FL, can help you learn how to replace missing teeth with today’s incredible offerings. The office is open to new patients.
