How Denture and All-on-4 Dental Implants Can Change Your Smile

The day a person realizes they are going to need dentures is an unhappy one for many people. Maybe they watched mom or dad or a grandparent putting their dentures in a cup every night and they never expected that to happen to them. Maybe they saw their grandmother struggling to eat with slipping dentures or having trouble talking. Whatever their past experiences, there are few people who anticipate this transition with any enjoyment. Why is that? Because of the many ways that traditional dentures fail to offer a positive experience for the wearer.

Those who wear dentures can easily list all the possible problems for you, including the following:

• Sore spots where the dentures sit on the gums
  
• Irritation of tongue or cheeks
  
• Allergies to denture materials
  
• Poor fit despite use of denture adhesive
  
• Fit gradually changes over time
  
• Difficulty chewing
  
• Inability to eat favorite foods
  
• Dentures create noise while speaking or eating
  
• Inability to clearly make all normal speech sounds
  
• Denture slippage causing embarrassment
  
• Poor quality materials causing breakage or an unnatural appearance
  

In recent years, the technology of designing and manufacturing dentures has improved so greatly that denture wearers can now have much better experiences without any of these problems! At StarBrite Dental, we offer our patients implant denturesand the dentures referred to as “All-on-4s.” After years of experience with different products, we’ve found that these two types of dentures offer the very best fit and function of any dentures on the market.

Regular dentures are shaped to fit snugly onto a patient’s gums. On the bottom, though, there is little to firmly secure the denture. On the top, the denture is fit to the patient’s palate, offering slightly greater security. But in both cases, these dentures are simply not securely fastened to any structure in the mouth. This one fact is the basic cause of most of the problems on the list above.

Both implant denturesand All-on-4s are securely fastened to dental implants placed in the jaw. What does this mean? It means that the first step in receiving these types of dentures is to place two, four or six or more dental implants in the bone of both the upper and lower jaw to act as secure anchors.

The implant procedure begins with a comprehensive exam and consultation to ensure implants are the best choice for that patient. If so, the next step is placing a slender titanium post in small holes created in the jaw bone. These surgical sites are then allowed to heal fully, during which time the implants bond firmly with the bone. The next step is attaching a connecting point to the top of each implant.

The manufacture of the denture at this point is fairly similar to previous manufacturing procedures. At StarBrite Dental, we use only the finest manufacturing materials and the most highly qualified labs located nearby in our community as a guarantee of the best results possible.

By using a nearby lab, we eliminate the kinds of quality or materials problems that can arise when your lab is halfway around the world. Having our lab nearby means we can interact directly with the technicians to resolve any problems with the manufacture of the dentures or their fit, if need be. Additionally, labs outside of the U.S. tend to use lower-grade materials and manufacturing procedures than those in America and with less stringent quality control.

The final step in the procedure is attaching the dentures to the implants. As soon as this is done, the patient has new teeth that feel practically as secure and functional as their original teeth. And because of the superior materials and workmanship of StarBrite’s dentures, they immediately provide a brilliant new smile to show off at every opportunity, with no slipping, clicking or messy adhesives.

Since implant denturesand All-on-4s may be new to you, we’ll answer some of the most frequently asked questions we hear from our patients.

The number of dental implants used to secure the denture and the way they are placed is what distinguishes implant denturesfrom All-on-4s. Implant denturescan be secured to any number of implants from two up to eight on top and another two to eight on bottom. A higher number of implants is preferred as this solution is more secure and, in general, provides the best results.

With All-on-4s, the entire upper or lower denture is supported by four dental implants that are strategically placed for the best functionality. If a person has experienced bone loss in either jaw that makes placement of these implants challenging, there are special techniques that can be used with All-on-4s that make the most of the bone that remains to stabilize the denture.

Implant and All-on-4 dentures are secured in place. There’s no more slippage while talking or chewing, no clicking noises. Finally, a denture wearer can go to restaurants with friends without the risk of being embarrassed by their dentures.

Because these dentures are supported by attachments to the implants, the pressure placed on them while biting or chewing is distributed across all the supporting implants. This is why a higher number of implants is preferable to a smaller number. The more supports, the more balanced the pressure across all areas of your jaw bone.

These supports also mean that the pressure of chewing is not transmitted directly to your gums, resulting in less discomfort and irritation

Implant denturesand All-on-4s are state-of-the-art options for replacing missing upper or lower teeth.

Our patients tell us they no longer struggle with dietary restrictions. Also, they don’t have to limit themselves to soft foods or overcooked vegetables. They can choose steak off the menu and even pick up raw vegetables at a party.

One of the biggest problems with conventional dentures is that the bones of the jaws are not receiving the same kind of stimulation that is provided when natural teeth bite and chew food. This repeated pressure stimulates the bones of the jaw hundreds of times every day. The body responds by keeping this bone firm and strong.

When this stimulation doesn’t exist any longer because the natural teeth are removed, the body responds by gradually breaking down jaw bone and absorbing the components in a process called “resorption.” Little by little, there is less bone mass in the jaws. This is why dentures no longer fit properly and need to be replaced after several years. It’s also why denture wearers often have shrunken lower faces after wearing their dentures for many years; there’s so much bone loss that it actually affects the shape of their face.

Implants help prevent this bone loss by acting just like natural teeth in that they transmit biting and chewing stimulation to the jaw bone. The more implants that are placed to support dentures, the more stimulation is transmitted to the jaw and the better the patient’s protection from bone loss. This is a very good reason to ask for dental implants as soon as possible after losing teeth and before the body has a chance to break down any bone mass.

There is one more important fact to know about implant denturesand All-on-4s. You can either have them secured permanently to the dental implants or they can be designed to be removable. The choice that’s right for you should be discussed with your dentist before starting this procedure.

Removable implant denturesare clipped onto a ball-shaped attachment on the top of each dental implant. They can be removed daily for cleaning or if wearing them at night is not desirable.

When an implant denture is permanently attached, a small screw is tightened by the dentist to secure it. These dentures can be removed only during dental visits for cleaning, repairs or inspection of the mouth.

When you come to StarBrite Dental for implant denturesor All-on-4s, we want your experience to be 100% comfortable and stellar results, every single time. State-of-the-art treatment for our patients is the only standard which is acceptable of us.

From our staff training to our sophisticated dental equipment, we maintain the highest possible standards so we can offer our patients excellence in every procedure we provide. That insistence on excellence extends from the simplest teeth cleaning or x-rays to the most precise surgical procedures.

We also take the time to ensure patients understand their dental and oral issues and why we recommend a particular course of treatment. We firmly believe all patients are entitled to a complete explanation of their own particular oral situation and how our treatment will address it. We proceed only when the patient fully agrees with and is happy with our recommendations.

StarBrite patients report they receive an unparalleled level of service and personalized attention at our practice. We suspect it is our genuine concern for their well-being which comes shining through. We treat every individual as we ourselves would expect to be treated: with compassion, respect and warmth.

Dr. Maryam Seifi, StarBrite Dental’s founder and lead dentist, is the guiding light for the unparalleled level of care and quality of treatment we provide to every patient. Through nearly three decades of practice, she has accrued a long list of recognitions and accomplishments. She was the winner of the Doctor’s Choice Awards in 2015 and 2016, was recognized as one of America’s Top Dentists by Consumers Research Council of America, and was chosen to appear on CBS as an expert on cosmetic dentistry. Dr. Seifi received her Doctorate of Dental Surgery degree from the University of Maryland, Baltimore in 1990.

Every team member at StarBrite Dental is carefully selected for their skill and caring attitude which results in an atmosphere of comfort and relaxation from the moment a patient walks in. These standards are maintained with continuous advancement of education for every one of our dental providers.

As your treatment progresses, we’ll monitor the healing of your implants, and bring you in for checkups so we know just when to get your new dentures ready for you. We’re always available for you if there is a problem or concern.

Once your implant treatment is complete, our care does not end there. We want to know immediately if you ever have discomfort, soreness or any other problems after you receive your new dentures. No matter what type of denture you have, followup and maintenance are essential to keeping your smile bright for many years to come.

To help our patients find out if these greatly improved dentures would provide more comfort and better function, we offer a free consultation, including x-rays, on implant dentures and All-on-4s. To schedule your free consultation, just call StarBrite Dental at (301) 770-1070 and let’s work out the best time for an examination. You can soon be on your way to a whole new life in which eating, talking and smiling are the easiest things in the world to do, without any risk of denture problems. We look forward to seeing you in our office soon.