Conventional dentures are appliances for the mouth. They replace both missing teeth and some gum tissue. Complete dentures utilize the gums, special adhesives, and the palate to stay in place. Traditional dentures are less expensive than implant supported dentures and can be used by patients who have had bone and gum loss. However, due to many inconveniences, many patients with complete tooth loss decide they would prefer to use implant supported dentures.
What are dental implants and implant-supported dentures?
Dental implants are titanium posts that are surgically placed into your jawbone. Once healed, these posts essentially become part of your body and poke out through your gums. A prosthetic set of teeth are then affixed to the posts, replacing your entire missing dentition.
Dental implant
The dental implant is the technique that consists of placing one or more pins inside the jaw bone so that these pins support the fixation of one or more artificial teeth.
Implant supported dentures
These are the teeth themselves, made in laboratories, which will replace the teeth that were lost, using the implant pins as support. These implant prostheses can be classified as follows:
Overdenture - (denture on implants or mobile prosthesis on implants)
An overdenture is a removable total prosthesis (denture) that uses implant support to improve its fixation, giving greater safety to the patient, compared to conventional dentures. This prosthesis is fitted over the implants in such a way that it allows some movement in the mouth. Thus, the patient can easily remove the prosthesis whenever necessary or for oral hygiene.
Fixed Protocol (fixed prosthesis on implants)
It is a total prosthesis (of all teeth in the dental arch) fixed on implant pins. The main difference in relation to the overdenture is the fact that it is not removable, that is, the patient cannot remove it. Its great advantage is to return the masticatory function. With the common denture system, the patient has, on average, 20% of the original chewing power. With the fixed protocol on implants, this percentage rises to 85%. Implant supported dentures function very similarly to your natural teeth. With the proper care, they can likely last a lifetime.
How much do implant supported dentures cost?
In order for dental implants to be placed, a titanium post is first placed in the bone. This acts as an anchor for a prosthesis that is placed on top of the post. The procedure requires a high level of expertise to perform properly and safely, so it's best to look for a dental office that specializes in implants and has experience. Because of these extra procedures, implant supported dentures are more expensive than traditional dentures; a full dentition replacement with implants can cost anywhere from $5,000 to upwards of $30,000. This range is so broad because every mouth is different. It is important that you speak with your dentist and get pricing for your case upfront so that you know what procedures you will need and what each one will cost as part of your implant supported dentures. The surgery or surgeries to place several implants, any bone grafting you might need, and the cost of the dentures themselves. If you are worried about cost, you can also speak with your dental office to see what payment plans they offer. Your dental office can also help you apply for healthcare credit cards or other means of financing your procedures.