Historically, conventional full dentures were the only way to replace a whole row of missing teeth. As early as the 16h century, Japanese woodworkers were making wooden dentures. For many, the invention of full dentures was a vast improvement over having little to no teeth in the mouth, but challenges still existed.
For many there is the a challenge of ill-fitting dentures, but odds of this are decreased by getting dentures made by a prosthodontist, a dentist that specializes in the condition of missing teeth, like the prosthodontist at Natick Dental Health. A prosthodontist has additional years of schooling in the craft of creating dental prostheses that fit well in the mouth.
But even the best fitting dentures have the challenge of adhesion. Historically conventional dentures relied on natural adhesion for the denture to stay in place in the mouth. This method quickly proved to be extremely unreliable, with dentures often coming loose and providing little help when chewing. Various denture adhesive compounds have been formulated over the years, with the first patent for one appearing in 1913. Although these denture adhesives have improved over the years, and some studies have shown improved retention when using dentures adhesives compared to not using them, people demanded a better solution. Even when using an adhesive, people find the whole process unnatural and painstaking. That’s when dental implants entered the picture.
Once dental implants started becoming popular and effective, dentists figured out they could use them to replace a whole arch of teeth in addition to single teeth. The process of replacing a whole arch of teeth with dental implants and a denture has become so standard that now multiple manufactures have dental implant systems that are focused on supporting a denture on four or six implants. These implant supported dentures finally provided patients with a solution that feels natural and secure. As the procedure became more standardized it became more popular too, to the point that someone you know may have replaced their conventional dentures with implant supported dentures.
If you’re dissatisfied with your dentures or are just looking for a more secure option than conventional dentures you may want to book a dental implant consultation with a prosthodontist. If the prosthodontist finds you are a candidate for implant supported dentures they will walk you through the treatment plan of having the dental implants placed and the dentures fixed to them. If the prosthodontist does a good job, once the implants heal the dentures should feel, look, and function like natural teeth. If the circumstances are right the prosthodontist may even be able to modify your existing denture to be placed on the implants, making the transition even smoother.
If you’re ready for the transition to implant supported dentures and live in or near Natick, we welcome you to contact Natick Dental Health for a dental implant consultation. The team would love to get to know you and help you regain your smile.