I’ve had dentures for over 20 years. If dental implants were a thing back then, they didn’t tell me about them. Now, my dentures are driving me batty. They’re slipping all the time and even fall out sometimes. My dentist said it’s probably time to replace them. But, I think I’d rather get the dental implants I keep reading about. Am I too late for those or is it still possible?
Carly
Dear Carly,
There’s a reason why your dentures are having trouble staying in these days. When your teeth were first removed and you got dentures, your body began to reabsorb the minerals in your jawbone to use elsewhere throughout your body.
It does this because your brain realizes there are no longer any teeth roots there and wants to be resourceful so it moves those minerals to where it will be more useful.
This has the unfortunate effect of slowly shrinking your jawbone. This is known as facial collapse. You’re at the stage where there isn’t enough jawbone left to retain your dentures.
You CAN Get Dental Implants
It’s actually a great idea for you to get dental implants, because the prosthetic roots which are placed help your body recognize your jawbone is necessary and will prevent facial collapse in the future.
You will need one additional procedure first to make this possible. Dental implants require you to have enough jawbone to support them. With the amount of bone you’ve lost, you’ll need to have some bone grafting done first.
This is a simple outpatient procedure and will allow you to get the best tooth replacements possible. Unless you are independently wealthy, I wouldn’t recommend you get an implant for each tooth.
Instead, I’m going to suggest implant supported dentures. These use four to six implants and anchor your denture to them. They’ll be completely secure and feel and fit much better than your removable dentures. Additionally, they’ll improve your quality of life including your chewing capacity, and will save you thousands of dollars.
Get a consultation with a dentist experienced in dental implants in your area. I think you’ll be thrilled with the difference from your quality of life the last 20 plus years.
This blog is brought to you by Decatur, AL Dentists Drs. Drake and Wallace.