implant overdentures Archives - Drake & Wallace Dentistry

I Keep Gagging on My Dentures

Posted on August 8, 2024 by writeradmin.

I am having a hard time adjusting to my dentures. I keep gagging on them. I’m pretty sure the problem is the upper denture because if I take that out, I’m fine. However, I can’t live that way. Is there a solution for someone with this type of problem?

Hadleigh

Dear Hadleigh,

There are a few possibilities for someone in your position. The first thing I would do is ask your dentist to double check that the denture isn’t impinging on your soft palate. It should not go past the limits of your hard palate. If that isn’t the problem you have two choices.

First, you can change out your removable dentures for implant supported dentures. This places four to six dental implants in your bone and then anchors the dentures to them. This will eliminate the need for a denture plate and therefore there will be nothing on your palate at all. No more gagging.

A second option is to try a procedure developed by Dr. Finlay Sutton, a prosthodontist in Great Britain.

Usually, an upper denture goes all the way to the edge of the hard palate, known as the vibrating line. In Dr. Sutton’s procedure, the denture could be carefully trimmed to not go back quite as far. In some patients, this will eliminate the gagging. It has to be done carefully by someone with expertise because an upper denture is held in by suction. If too much is cut back or it is trimmed improperly, it can compromise the suction and it will no longer stay in place.

Because it sounds like you have both upper and lower dentures, I recommend that you get the first option if at all possible. While Of these two options I recommend the first. This is more important for your lower arch. While your upper arch is held in by suction, the lower denture just rests on the ridge of your lower jawbone.

I don’t know if your dentist warned you about facial collapse, but when you have removable dentures, this is an inevitable problem. As soon as your teeth are removed, your body immediately begins to resorb the minerals in your jawbone in order to use them elsewhere in your body where they will be of more use. It is very efficient, but does shrink your jawbone. Eventually, you will not have enough jawbone left to keep your lower denture in your mouth.

Having dental implants placed, signals to your body that you need your jawbone in order to retain your teeth and it will leave your jawbone intact.

This blog is brought to you by Decatur, AL Dentists Drs. Drake and Wallace.

With Dentures, What Comes First?

Posted on June 20, 2024 by writeradmin.

I have a mouth that is driving me crazy. I feel like every single visit to the dentist leads to more visits to the dentist to deal with the problems they find. I’m spending so much time there, I should get a key at this point. I’m thinking I should just get dentures and be done with these stupid teeth. Do I see the dentist or the oral surgeon first?

Paul

Dear Paul,

If you are getting dentures, then my recommendation would be to go to a dentist who can do both the pre-denture surgery and the dentures. The surgery is not complicated and should be something every dentist is qualified to do. However, I wouldn’t convince a dentist to do it. Instead, look for a dentist who already has experience with the surgery. I would just call a dental office and ask what their normal procedure is as to whether they do the surgery themselves or refer out to an oral surgeon.

Before You Decide on Dentures

I know it sounds like your life will be a lot easier without teeth right now, but I want to make sure you understand what will happen as a result. First, as soon as your teeth are removed, your body immediately begins to resorb the minerals in your jawbone. It does that to be as efficient with your body’s resources as possible. Recognizing you no longer have any teeth that need to be supported, it uses those minerals elsewhere in your body. Unfortunately, this has the side effect of shrinking your jawbone. In about ten years or so, you will no longer have enough jawbone to even retain your dentures. In dental circles, this is known as facial collapse. I’ve put an image of what this does to a jaw above.

To prevent this, you have a couple of options. First, save as many teeth as possible. If you are keeping up with all your oral health care and dental cleanings and are still having problems, evaluate how much snacking you are doing between meals. One of our biggest allies against tooth decay is our saliva, which contains bacteria fighting minerals, but it needs time to work. If you are a frequent snacker (including drinks that aren’t water), then your saliva can’t do its job. If you are not a frequent snacker, then it may be an issue of losing a genetic lottery. If that is the case and you want to replace your teeth instead of continuing to fight them, the second solution to this would be to get implant supported dentures. The dental implants signal to your body that you still have tooth roots you need to retain your bone structure.

This blog is brought to you by Decatur, AL Dentists Drs. Drake and Wallace.

My Dentures Make Me Gag

Posted on April 17, 2024 by writeradmin.

I have a pretty strong gag reflex. One of the reasons I ended up with dentures is that I dreaded my dental appointments because I’d throw up every time it was time for some x-rays. Now, I am having trouble with the upper denture. It uses this hard plate to help keep things in but I am constantly gagging and having to take it out, which defeats the purpose of having it. I don’t have the same problem with my lower dentures because it just sits on the bone and there isn’t anything pushing on my palette. Is there any way around this?

Stephanie

Dear Stephanie,

You are in a difficult position. The firmness of the framework you are struggling with is necessary in order to fit properly and allow you to chew. The only way to have the dentures without that framework, is to get implant supported dentures. With this, you will have four to six dental implants placed on your upper arch. Then, after the bone has had time to integrate with the implants, your dentures can be anchored to it. These implant supported dentures are commonly called implant overdentures. This will prevent you from having to have any framework on the roof of your mouth. There will be nothing there to cause a gag reflex. Instead, it will be just like having your own healthy, natural teeth in your mouth again.

While having those dentures on the upper arch will make your dentures more comfortable, they will be even more important to have on your lower arch. Once your teeth were removed, your body recognized that there were no longer any teeth roots which it needed to support. Our body’s are remarkable efficient machines. In order to use the minerals in your jawbone as efficiently as possible, it begins to resorb those minerals to use them elsewhere in your body where they will be more useful. Unfortunately, that will slowly shrink your jawbone. Eventually, somewhere between ten and twenty years from when you first place them, there won’t be enough of your jawbone left to even retain your denture. In dental circles, this is known as facial collapse.

Placing dental implants in your bottom arch, signals to your body that there are still teeth roots in your mouth. As a result, you will not have to worry about facial collapse and your jawbone will stay completely intact.

This blog is brought to you Decatur, AL Dentists Drs. Drake and Wallace.

How Far Back Should My Dentures Go?

Posted on February 26, 2024 by writeradmin.

I have not been crazy about my dentures. One thing that has been specifically irritating is the fact that I am chewing on the gums where my wisdom teeth used to be. The dentures are not covering that area at all. My dentist doesn’t think this is a big deal, but it is making life uncomfortable for me. Should they go back far enough to cover that area?

Brian

Dear Brian,

I am glad you wrote. I will be honest that dentures have many flaws, some serious, that lower your quality of life. However, the situation with the gums by your wisdom teeth is one that is definitely fixable and should not have been an issue for you to begin with.

Your denture should cover not just the area where your wisdom teeth were, but also go a smidge further. Just past your wisdom tooth area is your retromolar pad. Ideally, the denture should cover part of that as well. You do not want it to compare the entirety of the pad because that causes the upper and lower dentures to conflict with each other.

A possible reason your dentist is trying to ignore this is that the only way to fix the problem is for your dentist to start over with brand new impressions. This is a lot of work for him, especially if you have already paid for it.

You have a couple of options here. You could show him this blog post. If his integrity is not pricked by that, then you can threaten to post a negative review online. These reviews do impact a dentist’s ability to draw in new patients.

A Danger with Completely Removable Dentures

I hope your dentist warned you about the dangers of wearing completely removable dentures in the long term. When your teeth are removed, your body immediately begins to resorb the minerals in your jawbone as a means of being as resourceful with your body’s needs as possible. While efficient, it does have the unfortunate side effect of shrinking your jawbone.

You will notice that it will become harder and harder to for your to eat and keep your dentures in place. Eventually, you will lose so much of your jawbone that it will no longer be possible to retain your dentures. This is known in dental circles as facial collapse.

The Solution to Facial Collapse

The way to prevent this issue is to get implant retained dentures. This is commonly called implant overdentures. The dental implants serve as prosthetic tooth roots and will signal to your body to keep those minerals in your jawbone. You’ll find your quality of life goes up dramatically and you’ll be able to eat anything you want again.

This blog is brought to you by Decatur, AL Dentists Drs. Drake and Wallace.

Is It Bad to Leave My Dentures In At Night?

Posted on February 1, 2023 by writeradmin.

I’ve been in dentures for close to five years. I was talking to a friend who also has dentures and mentioned that I sleep with mine. She was adamant that this was bad for me. I did explain that I took them out each morning and cleaned them, but I put them right back in as soon as they had been cleaned. Is it really as bad for me as she says? The thing is I am in a new relationship and I really, really do not want him to see me without my dentures in. Plus, I worry about getting that old person, hollowed out look that people get with dentures so I keep them in as much as possible.

Patsy

Dear Patsy,

You have asked a question that I am sure many people have. That fact is that your friend is right. It is important that you take your dentures out at night. Without that, you will eventually develop some problems. Taking your dentures out at night gives the small blood vessels in your oral tissue an opportunity to open up and the blood to flow more easily. This gives your oral tissue a break from the constant pressure on them.

Without that break and the time without the denture to allow your saliva to flow over the area, you risk getting denture stomatitis. This causes the gums to become inflamed, reddened, and painful.

What Causes the Old Hollowed Out Look with Dentures?

The problem of the older appearance that happens with dentures does not have to do with whether or not you keep them in at night. It is a matter of how long you are without teeth. When your teeth are removed, your body recognizes that and begins to resorb the minerals in your jawbone that it was using to help secure your tooth roots. Without tooth roots, your body assumes you don’t need those minerals there and transfers them to use elsewhere in the body.

While an efficient use of your body’s resources, it has the unfortunate side effect of slowly shrinking your jawbone. After ten or more years in dentures, depending on how fast your minerals resorb, you will no longer have enough ridge to keep your dentures in. This is known in dental circles as facial collapse.

Is There a Solution to Facial Collapse?

The best solution is to have dental implants placed in your jaw. This will signal to your body that you still have teeth and you need your jawbone to keep them secure. With four to six dental implants you can then anchor a new set of dentures to them. This is known as implant overdentures and has so many benefits. They are permanently anchored so you won’t have to worry about taking them out ever again. Because they’re anchored to the implants you won’t have the same blood flow problem.

You will also now notice that your chewing capacity goes up significantly. You can eat anything you want again without a problem. There are other benefits too but the one relevant to your concern is it will completely prevent facial collapse.

This blog is brought to you by Decatur, AL Dentists Drs. Drake and Wallace.

Will All-on-Four Dental Implants Keep My Face From Shrinking?

Posted on August 8, 2022 by writeradmin.

I’m in a disastrous pickle. First, I am just 40 years old. I’ve lost one tooth, which has a dental implant. Because of a calcium deficiency, my dentist said I have to extract all my teeth and get dentures. I’ve spent two days crying. Someone told me my face will shrink and make me look like a grandma. I can’t afford a full set of dental implants. Would something like an all-on-four keep me from looking so old? I think I could do four implants if I sold my car. I’m a single mom and my kids aren’t even in kindergarten yet. I don’t want to be the ugly mom.

Leslie

Dear Leslie,

All on Four Dental Implants

The first thing I want you to do is to get a second opinion about your teeth. A calcium deficiency is not an adequate reason for your teeth to need to be removed. Though some dentists try to blame it for decay, there is no causal link, especially at your age. What a calcium deficiency will do is lead to cramps, nerve problems, and osteoporosis. Dentists that use this as an excuse are usually the ones who don’t like to invest a lot of work in saving teeth. It’s easier for them to just extract your teeth. It is always better to save as many natural teeth as possible.

If it turns out that your teeth can’t be saved, there are solutions. What your friend who mentioned your face shrinking was talking about is known as facial collapse in dental circles. This happens because when your teeth are extracted your body recognizes that and begins to resorb the minerals in your jawbone in order to use them elsewhere in your body where your body realizes they will be more useful. The unfortunate side effect of this is that it shrinks your jawbone. After about ten or so years, you will no longer have enough jawbone left to retain your dentures.

While it is true that it does age you significantly, the bigger issue is that you will no longer be able to eat properly. Because your dentures will no longer stay in, it will be almost impossible for you to eat solid food. You’ll be relegated to a liquid diet. Dental implants prevent this because the prosthetic implant serves as a tooth root, which signals to your body that you need to keep the minerals in your jawbone intact.

The Solution to Facial Collapse

All-on-Four Dental Implants are a good solution for people who have some minor bone loss. Because your teeth will just have been extracted, then you won’t really have any bone loss and this procedure would not be useful to you. The good news is if you do lose all your teeth (and I’m not convinced that is necessary) then four implants will be all you need to protect your jaw from facial collapse.

You can get four dental implants and then have a denture secured to them. This is called implant overdentures and will be a great solution. Just make certain you get a dentist who has post-doctoral training in dental implants. I don’t think the dentist you currently have is the one to go with.

Your first step is to get a second opinion on your teeth.

This blog is brought to you by Decatur, AL Dentists Drs. Drake and Wallace.

Bulky Lips From Permanent Dentures

Posted on April 1, 2022 by writeradmin.

I have permanent dentures anchored on by all-on-4 dental implants. My anterior teeth are 2-3 mm from the gumline. Is that correct or should they follow the gumline? My lips have been bulky and uncomfortable. I’m not sure if this is how it should be and I just need to get used to it or if something is wrong.

Kevin

Dear Kevin,

Gumline

I want to start by making sure we are on the same page. The gumline is actually where the teeth meets the gums. I think you are referring to where your teeth are extracted–The ridge of the jawbone under your denture. There is a slight difference in placement when you get completely removable dentures than when you get anchored dentures.

With completely removable dentures, the front teeth on the lower arch need to be placed directly over the bony ridge. If it is not, there will be a problem with the back teeth tipping whenever you bite something with your front teeth.

You, however, have all-on-4 dental implants, which is one type of implant supported dentures. Another type is implant overdentures. With these, you do not have to worry about any tipping. So, from that perspective, 2-3 mm is fine for chewing. However, there are appearance and speech related considerations.

Placing These Properly

There should always be a wax try in of the dentures before it is ever made in acrylic. That wax try in will check several things:

The appearance of the teeth
The patient’s speech
The appearance of your lips
Vertical dimension
The occlusion of your bite

If your denture is attached with screws, it is a fairly easy procedure for your dentist to remove the denture and reset it in a more proper position. I would speak to your dentist about this. Even if there is a charge, it should not be much.

This blog is brought to you by Decatur, AL Dentists Drs. Drake and Wallace.

Why Are Clear Choice’s Prices Arbitrary?

Posted on November 7, 2021 by writeradmin.

Several years ago I agreed to have all my teeth extracted by a dentist who felt they were too much work to continue to deal with. I wish I had not listened to him. He fit me for a denture and told me I could have it anchored down the road. I HATE this denture. After a year of going back and forth with fittings trying to get it comfortable and not make me gag, I am left toothless and only wearing the top denture when I am in public to save myself humiliation. I recently went to Clear Choice Dental Implants. They said they could give me the all-on-four procedure for $67,000. Then, when they learned I’ve recently hit the senior citizen magic number lowered it to $56,000. Does that mean non-senior citizens are being drastically overcharged? Either way, it still seems like a lot of money. I don’t want to make a second/third mistake with my teeth. What do you recommend?

Angie

Dear Angie,

All on Four Dental Implants

One of the reasons that Clear Choice prices are so high is they are pricing them to compete with people who need bone grafting. However, they don’t actually have to do the bone grafting, which dramatically increases their profits. They do the all-on-4 dental implant procedure which angles the implants enough so that they are more secure without the bone. It can work, but if one part of the unit fails then the entire thing has to be redone.

My recommendation is to talk to a dentist with post-doctoral training in dental implants and get their opinion on your situation. If you haven’t been in dentures that long, you may not even need the bone grafting, which will save you even more money. A dentist will normally work with you financially. You pay out implants in two stages. Once when the implants are first placed and then another payment when your restoration is placed.

Implant overdentures may be a better fit for you. By the way, even though the restoration uses dentures, it doesn’t feel in any way what you are experiencing with your removable dentures. There is no denture plate, so no gagging. Plus, the denture is anchored to the implants so it is completely secure and comfortable.

This blog is brought to you by Decatur, AL Dentists Drs. Drake and Wallace.

Costa Rica or Clear Choice for My Dental Implants?

Posted on June 14, 2021 by writeradmin.

I want to get dental implants for a few teeth I have missing. I’ve been to a dentist and he quoted me a large amount of money for four dental implants. Next, I went to Clear Choice Dental Implant Center and they want to remove the whole arch and do an All-on-Four Dental Implants procedure. The price was close to what my dentist quoted me. When I told them I could get just the four dental implants I need without taking out all my other teeth for the same price, they came down by $15,000! I was stunned. There are two things that worry me. First, I would have to take out the rest of my teeth and that sort of bugs me. Second, I have heard that Clear Choice is not very good at following up so patients are just left on their own. Another friend of mine went to Costa Rica to have some medical procedure done. She wanted a tubal ligation reversed. In the U.S., they considered her too old to do that, but she had it done in Costa Rica no problem and for a lot cheaper than here. I was thinking it might be possible to do my dental implants there. Do you know of people who have gone to Costa Rica for dental work? Did it turn out okay?

Angie

Dear Angie,

All on Four Dental Implants

I’m very glad you wrote. Let’s start with Clear Choice. They are a dental chain and while their dentists tend to be good, skilled dentists, their corporate model leads them to a one-size fits all category. Their go-to procedure is the all on 4, as you have discovered by their recommendation to you. The all-on-4 dental implant procedure is really designed for people who have lost all their teeth, but do not have enough bone structure for them to get implant overdentures. This does not sound like you fit that category. You have healthy teeth and the best thing you can do for them is keep all the healthy teeth that are possible for you. Plus, with this procedure, if one dental implant fails, the whole unit has to be redone. You cannot simply replace the one with the problem. I am not going to recommend them to you.

That brings us to Costa Rica. Dental tourism is a growing industry. When you are dealing with simple procedures and they go well, it can be a way to save some money, but there are risks. Many of these countries do not have the same legal requirements and standards that we have for our medical practitioners and supplies. As an example, many of these countries have no laws about sterilizing their equipment. It is up to the dentist if and how often he does that. There have been many people who traveled out of the country for dental care only to end up with an infection.

When you factor in that dental implants are one of the most advanced procedures around, you need to be even more cautious. If something goes wrong, the consequences are not as simple as fixing a faulty dental crown. Complications with dental implants can have serious repercussions, such as losing part of your jaw, perforating your sinus cavity, landing on nerve endings that leave in you tremendous pain, and many more. Plus, if you were worried about the lack of follow-up care you would get with Clear Choice, what type of follow-up do you think you will get from another country?

Your best and safest option is to go to a private dentist with post-doctoral training in dental implants and let him provide you with the quality work you should have and the post-operative care you need. Think of dental implants not just as a way to get some quality teeth, but also an investment in your quality of life.

This blog is brought to you by the Decatur, AL Dentists Drs. Drake and Wallace.

Can’t Keep Dentures In

Posted on October 31, 2020 by writeradmin.

I’m 62 years old and I’ve been in dentures for over 20 years. Lately, I can’t keep them in very well. I went to see a dentist and he said I don’t have much ridge left on my jawbone. He feels certain soon enough I won’t even be able to wear the dentures at all. Is there anything I can do? I can’t imagine a life without any teeth even if they are fake.

Beverly

Dear Beverly,

What you are dealing with is known as facial collapse. This happens when you’ve been in dentures for a long period of time. When your teeth were removed, your body recognizes that. In an effort to be efficient with your body’s resources, it begins to absorb the minerals in your jawbone which are no longer needed to retain your teeth. This has the effect of slowly shrinking your jawbone. Eventually, as your dentist mentioned, you will no longer have enough jawbone left to retain your dentures.

The Solution to Facial Collapse

In order to solve this, the first thing you’ll need to do is have some bone grafting done to build back up the bone you have lost. After a period of healing, you will need to make a decision. You will need to replace the teeth again. You can get dentures again, but of course, it will eventually lead to the same issue.

The way to prevent it from happening again is to use implant overdentures this time. These will place four to six dental implants in your jaw and then anchor a new pair of dentures to them. The implants serve as prosthetic tooth roots, which your body interprets as you having teeth. It will then leave your jawbone intact.

All of these are advanced procedures, so you’ll need to find a dentist who has invested in a significant amount of post-doctoral training in dental implant training.

This blog is brought to you by Decatur, AL Dentists Drs. Drake and Wallace.