Implant supported dentures

[Tia]

Hi

I have been wearing a lower full denture for the past four years and find it very difficult to use when I am eating or trying to speak. I would like to know if you think that Implant supported dentures would be better at staying in my mouth and not moving around my mouth when I am eating. I find that with my current dentures, I have to use a lot of denture glue to keep them in my mouth when I am eating.

Are there any major differences between implant supported dentures and implant supported bridges? Which one is likely to cost less and which one would be more comfortable to use?

[Dr Vahid Motahar]

Hi,

Thank you for your question.

There is no doubt that implant supported dentures are much more comfortable and more stable than the glue retained dentures. The difference is unbelievable. Even placement of two implants in the lower jaw (which is the norm) makes a massive improvement in the quality of chewing, eating and talking. Implant supported dentures are cost wise possibly cheaper long term because no longer so much glue is needed. Think of all the money that is saved not buying the glue over the years! With implants the dentures are much more stable and do not move around the mouth when in use.

The difference between implmant supported denture and implant supported bridge is in the same scale as the difference between glue retained denture and implant retained denture. Thus looks and function of the implant supported bridges is more supperior to implant retained dentures. However the other big difference is the cost as more implants are needed to support a bridge and hence the heigher cost. But i financially there is no problem in a lot of cases patients tend to go for implant supported bridges. Depending on the unmer of teeth one wish to have on average six implants are needed to support ten teeth.