Ever Since I got my dentures ten years ago I have hated them. From the beginning, my dentist kept telling me I’d get used to them. The problem is no matter how long it has been he keeps saying I’ll get used to them. Let’s be honest, after all this time, I don’t think I shall. I keep reading about dental implants. Is it too late for me to get them?
Margie
Dear Margie,
It isn’t too late to get dental implants, as long as you are in decent general health. There is a caveat, though. You’ve been in dentures for ten years, which is enough time for facial collapse to set in. I don’t know if your dentist warned you about facial collapse, so I’ll give you a short summary of it here.
What is Facial Collapse?
When your teeth were first removed, your body responds by resorbing the minerals in your jawbone to use elsewhere in your body. It did this in an effort to be as efficient as possible with its resources. Because you no longer have any teeth, it doesn’t feel like you need your jawbone, which is mostly used to retain your teeth roots. Eventually, you will lose so much jawbone, there won’t be enough for you to even retain your dentures.
This is a huge deal as you will not be able to eat a healthy diet, being limited to the softest foods that don’t require teeth. Your quality of life will take a dramatic turn for the worse.
Even though you will likely still have some of your jawbone at this point, you will need enough to integrate with the dental implants, so they will be secure and can support your dentures. This can be overcome by have a bone grafting procedure done. This will build back up the lost structure, enabling you to move forward.
What are Implant Overdentures?
It is too pricey to get a single dental implant for each missing tooth. Instead, it is more practical to get four to six dental implants on each arch and then anchor your dentures to them. This is known as implant overdentures. Fortunately, because it still places dental implants in your jaw, it has the same benefits.
- Your dentures will be completely secure.
- Your chewing capacity increases significantly.
- Your jaw’s appearance will look stronger and younger.
- You will be protected from facial collapse.
This blog is brought to you by Sugarland Dentist Dr. Siny Thomas.