Dentures are removable replacements for your teeth which can, nowadays, almost be indistinguishable from legitimate pearly whites. Originating in 700BC, Dentures are one of the oldest solutions to the problem of tooth loss. The oldest problem, however, faced by denture wearers is that of slippage. Dentures are a very affordable form of tooth replacement, but they can move about whilst eating and speaking. Some people may also be required to use denture adhesives which can be messy and tend to trap food particles which, if any natural teeth remain, can lead to further decay. There are, however, alternatives to this slippy, messy fate.

Dental implant stabilisers

One way of bypassing the slippage issue is to get dental implants, as these will hold the dentures in places. In this procedure, small titanium screws with ball-tops are inserted into the jaw. Most people will require six screws to be implanted, as this ensures optimum stabilisation. The screws will fuse with the jaw and, once your jaw has healed, your dentures will be altered so they can snap onto the ball tops. By applying upward pressure to the front of the denture, via your thumb, they can be easily removed for cleaning and such like. The process of implanting the screws should take roughly an hour, but can sometimes take longer. You may experience some minor discomfort after the implants, but this tends to be minor and can simply be eased with medication.

Other advantages

When worn without implant stabilisers, dentures will compress the gingiva and reduce blood supply to the bone. This will, in turn, cause accelerated bone loss. Thankfully, dentures worn with implant stabilisers stimulant the bone and help prevent such bone loss. Stabilised implants will also make your dentures look, feel and function like natural teeth. They can also help overcome denture related speech issues and ‘denture palate’. This form of treatment also bypasses the need to grind down health teeth, which can be required for other procedures. For more information about dental implants and dentures contact us at Dublin18 Dental Care near to Stillorgan for more information.