Denture Implants in North Miami Beach, FL

What are Denture Implants?

Denture implants look like ordinary dentures, but instead of resting on your gums, they clip onto dental implants inserted in your jawbone. The dentures are secured via special attachments on the denture’s fitting surface that snap onto specialized abutments or connectors on the implants.

These special attachments help hold the denture securely in place, ensuring it cannot move, yet it is easy to unclip whenever you wish to clean the denture. This type of denture is also sometimes called an overdenture or an implant overdenture and requires relatively few implants to support it.

Some implant overdentures are removable, while others are fixed and constitute a hybrid restoration. These fixed implant overdentures remain permanently in your mouth unless removed by our dentist for professional cleaning and general maintenance.

What are the Benefits of Implant Dentures?

Overdentures can provide patients with several significant benefits, including:

• Improved biting and chewing strength.An overdenture will significantly improve the strength of your bite, allowing you to eat a wider range of foods that are trickier to enjoy with ordinary dentures.
• Improved comfort.Traditional dentures can create sore spots where they rest on your gums, but implant-supported dentures eliminate this problem.
• Protecting your jawbone. Dental implants replace natural tooth roots, providing a similar level of stimulation to the surrounding bone and preventing bone loss that occurs naturally after teeth are removed.
• Protecting facial appearance.When you lose a complete arch of teeth or both arches, your facial structure can change and begin to collapse inward. An implant overdenture is carefully designed to provide the right support for your facial muscles and to restore the proper facial dimensions.
• Excellent stability.Even a well-designed traditional denture will eventually loosen as the jawbone underneath changes shape and can begin to slip and move around uncomfortably and embarrassingly. An implant overdenture avoids this issue since it is held firmly by implants and will not move.
• Affordable. We can fit an implant overdenture with just a few dental implants, making this treatment an excellent, highly affordable choice.
• Long-lasting.Dental implants are designed to last for many years with the right care, so they are a great long-term investment in your dental health.

When to Consider Denture Implants

It’s worth considering this treatment if:

• You currently have loose or uncomfortable dentures and are looking for a more stable, affordable option.
• Have reasonable dental and general health.
• Have sufficient jawbone to support the implants, or are willing to have a bone graft.
• Are committed to a good oral hygiene routine and regular maintenance.
• You do not smoke, or if you do, will quit during treatment and preferably for good.

If you are interested in dental implant treatment, we carefully consider every patient. We take into account numerous factors to determine whether this is the right option for you and whether it will represent a good long-term investment in your oral health.

Understanding the Process for an Implant Overdenture

No two implant processes are the same, as your oral health is unique. Below is a brief overview of what you can expect if you want an implant overdenture.

1. Consultation, Dental Exam, and Diagnostics

Your first visit is a chance for us to chat with you, discover your treatment goals, and explain more about this process. A dental exam enables us to assess your oral health and check for conditions such as gum disease or tooth infections that may require treatment before placing your implants.

We also carefully review your dental and medical history. Some health conditions may require us to adjust your treatment plan or to liaise with other healthcare professionals looking after you. We take every precaution to ensure that dental implant treatment is safe for our patients.

During this consultation, we also determine whether a full-arch solution like an implant overdenture is appropriate, or if a more targeted treatment such as front tooth implants would better meet your needs.

You will need a cone beam CT scan, digital X-rays, and photos. These are used to plan your treatment.

2. Treatment Planning

These diagnostics are used to plan your treatment, determining whether you have adequate bone strength to support the implants and where each implant must be placed for optimal strength and stability.

Our in-house digital design software can help you visualize how your new overdenture could look. We use planning and design software to help ensure your teeth function properly.

Your treatment plan is detailed and will show the overdenture cost, as well as any other anticipated costs, such as removing failing teeth and making temporary teeth for use during healing.

After finalizing your treatment plan, a computer-generated stent is created, which fits over your gums during computer-guided dental implant surgery.

3. Implant Placement

We usually recommend sedation dentistry when placing several implants. The sedation is tailored to ensure you feel entirely comfortable and pain-free during your treatment.

Your computer-generated stent is placed over your gums, guiding our dental implant dentist and ensuring your treatment plan is replicated precisely. This technique also ensures smaller incisions and faster and more comfortable healing afterward.

4. Temporary Restoration

We realize it’s important not to leave you without teeth, so we’ll provide a temporary set for use during healing and while your implants fuse to your jawbone through a process called osseointegration. You will wear these temporary teeth for several months until the process is complete.

If you have a denture that is in reasonable condition, we may adjust it so you can use it during healing. Otherwise, we may create a brand-new set of temporary teeth, which might be attached to your dental implants soon after surgery, helping splint the implants together and preventing unwanted movement during osseointegration.

5. Recovery and Healing

Before you leave our dental office, we will review oral care instructions with you, showing you how to care for your mouth and dental implants during healing. If we prescribe antibiotics, please take the complete course.

You may experience some minor discomfort during the healing process. Often, over-the-counter pain relief is perfectly adequate; otherwise, we can prescribe a stronger painkiller if needed.

You will be provided with dietary advice, as your implants must remain undisturbed, and they shouldn’t come under any excess stress. Therefore, you may need to follow a soft food diet for several months while healing continues.

If you have any questions during your recovery and healing, please don’t hesitate to contact us at Dental Pearl. We can provide friendly and useful advice over the phone or schedule a checkup with our dentist.

6. Making and Fitting Your Final Implant Overdenture

It will take several months, anywhere between three and six months or even longer, for your implants to heal fully. At this point, we can fabricate your permanent implant overdenture. This will provide a far greater biting and chewing strength than a traditional denture, combined with excellent functionality and aesthetics.

Ongoing Care and Maintenance

After you receive your dental implants for dentures, we know you will want to look after them properly, and we can help you perfect your oral care routine. Our hygienist can work with you, ensuring you know the right tools and techniques to use and that you can clean your implants and overdenture thoroughly and easily.

You must maintain a routine of preventive professional dentistry. Regular visits to our dental office for a dental appointment allow us to monitor the health of your implants, assess the condition of your implant overdenture, and professionally clean around your implants.