Why You Should Consider All-on-4 Dental Implants Before Getting Dentures

You may have thought about dental implants and wondered if they are right for you. People who are missing all of their teeth deal with many issues that people with natural teeth take for granted. Normal operations of talking and eating may become uncomfortable taking a toll on them and affecting how they live their lives. There are different options available for denture users, and you may be surprised at the differences in everyday functionality.

For the most part, full mouth dentures can be broken down into three different types:

• Traditional denture
• Over-denture (snap-in)
• Fixed denture (screw retained)

There can be advantages to any of these options; one being the cosmetic outcome and redesign of your entire smile including shape, size, and shade.

Traditional Denture

The traditional denture costs less than the other two devices. The top denture is held into your mouth with an adhesive and has a large palate which covers the roof of your mouth. The palate is necessary to create a suction and give the adhesive a larger area to hold the denture in place. Because the bottom denture doesn’t have a pallet and cannot create a good suction, it may always seem a little loose and floppy. People with a traditional denture complain about not being able to talk properly, especially in the beginning while they are getting used to it. Eating is more difficult because the denture is at risk of dislodging while chewing. On top of that, the traditional denture user loses much of the natural ability to feel the texture, temperature, and taste of their food. The traditional denture is easy to clean because they can be removed whenever you want to clean them.

Snap-in Denture

Many people choose to upgraded from the traditional denture to an over-denture, or snap-in denture. The snap-in denture is retained with dental implants. A dental implants is a titanium screw that is placed in the jaw bone and acts similar to the root of a tooth. The over-denture is designed to snap on to the implant and is retained much more securely than the traditional denture. On a snap in denture some choose to only use implants on the bottom, but the more implants used, whether in the top or bottom, will provide a more secure grip and functionality. We recommend using a minimum of four implants on top and four implants on the bottom for optimal results. Although the dentures that fit over implants are more expensive than traditional dentures, they offer the advantage of placing the denture weight onto the implant and no longer need the roof of the mouth for suction, alleviating bulk while giving back taste. The snap-in denture is able to be removed by the user for cleaning and maintenance. While the functionality of this device is improved from the traditional denture, there are still limitations on the types of food that can be eaten.

Fixed Denture

The Titan4™ hybrid denture is designed to work more like a bridge extending from cheek to cheek using implants as anchors. This device is more permanent because it stays in your mouth unless removed by your dentist. What we call the Titan4 Bridge can also be called a fixed denture, screw retained denture, or all-on-four. The Titan4 bridge is retained by as few as four implants and they look, feel, and function the most like natural teeth. Because the hybrid is held in with screws the device will not fall out with everyday normal use. The user is able to eat normal foods including apples, steak, and corn on the cob. The Titan4 is preferred because the device doesn’t need the surface area other dentures need for suction, leaving the minimum amount of material and the most natural feel. The Titan4 is cared for with a toothbrush and waterpick.

An additional advantage of having dental implants is that they prevent bone loss. When a tooth is lost, the lack of stimulation causes loss of bone. Ultimately without a tooth or implant, the volume of the bone decreases. With a traditional denture the bone loss will gradually happen leaving users the most unhappy with limited options. The Titan4 solution is more expensive than over dentures and traditional dentures, although, it provides the most advantages and comforts to the user.

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Dream Dental Implant Center in Salt Lake City, Utah

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