Dentures and Dental Implants: The Best of both Worlds

To merge the best of the most popular methods to replace missing teeth, traditional dentures can be supported by dental implants. This treatment, called an overdenture is a life-changing procedure. Implant-supported dentures offer many advantages over the traditional method of placing dentures.

Application of Removable Dentures vs. Implant Dentures

Normal, non-implant-mounted dentures are usually held in place with adhesive paste.  Simple actions such as eating, drinking, or even talking may loosen the grip of dentures until they move out of place entirely.  Dental implant supported dentures, however, offer more security through the permanence and stability of implants.

Dental implants are titanium fixtures placed into the jawbone that can serve as anchors for dentures. Implants have been increasingly popular as a restorative dental therapy over the last 50 years after the discovery that titanium is biocompatible (meaning the human body does not reject it).  The jawbone actually grows into the titanium post, securing it in place.

The denture is fixed into place on the implants to allow for a great deal more stability than traditional adhesives. Overdentures are held in place by a bar that runs along a few implants which dentures snap onto. These overdentures can still be removed, when necessary, but provide a far improved denture-wearing experience, as they are attached to permanent fixtures. Patients with an overdenture can take advantage of the easy removal of a traditional denture, but the strength and durability of implants.

Benefits of Implant Dentures

Normal dentures do not support the jawbone, as the denture is placed only on the gum.  Just like a muscle that is not regularly used will weaken, bone will lose nutrients and become thin without stimulation from a tooth root -- this can cause facial collapse as the bone withers.  The use of implants counteracts this, allowing the jaw to find purpose again in supporting the denture.

While the care for the overdentures may be the same as standard dentures (they both must be taken out at night and cleaned) the benefits are tremendous.  With implant dentures, there is no clicking, no slipping, and no worry about your denture failing in social situations. Implant dentures make wearing full dentures significantly more comfortable, and give you the oral function you need to eat, talk, and smile with confidence.

If you have traditional dentures and are interested in a better way to hold them in place, call our Brooklyn dental office to learn more about getting implant-retained overdentures.

How Does Invisalign® Work?

Invisalign® is capable of giving you a fantastic smile by treating common orthodontic issues. Invisalign® uses pressure, just like metal braces, to move the teeth into a more pleasing and functional alignment. But to understand how Invisalign® does its job, it’s first important to know how traditional braces work, in comparison:

How Braces Move Your Teeth

Braces are a system that consists of several different components. There are brackets, which are attached to each tooth on the arch. There's also the arch wire, a thin metal wire that connects all of the brackets and is fixed to the brackets with small rubber rings.

The system can be adjusted by manipulating the arch wire to exert the force that pushes or pulls teeth into the desired alignment. Sometimes extra components might be added to better control the direction of the force.

What Makes Invisalign® Different?

Invisalign® also works by moving teeth into new alignment over time, but uses different tools to achieve the desired results. Instead of a collection of brackets and wires, Invisalign® uses customized trays that are extremely easy to wear.

To make the trays, your dentist takes impressions and pictures of your teeth, which are used to create a three-dimensional image of your entire mouth. Your dentist then uses the 3-D images to design a customized treatment plan. Your Invisalign® trays are created according to these images. The very first tray you wear will be only slightly different from your current teeth alignment. By wearing the tray 22 to 23 hours a day, your teeth will be shifted into that new alignment. Every couple of weeks, you’ll switch-out to the next tray in the series. The process is repeated until you reach the final tray and finish the treatment.

How Long Does Invisalign® Treatment Take?

Invisalign® can be used to correct mild to moderate alignment problems, with the typical course of treatment usually taking 12 months. Not only is this a comfortable way of fixing teeth alignment problems, it's also one that allows you to see the ongoing results much more easily, as there's no metal or ceramic to obscure your teeth.

If you have questions about whether Invisalign® is right for you, please contact our Brooklyn Invisalign® dentist for your consultation.