How Do Implant Dentures Work?

Categories: dental implants

implant dentures

Many individuals know that a tooth implant is an ideal tooth restoration. Some don’t realize, however, that two or more can support a partial or full denture. This can be a less expensive option than having numerous implants while still providing many advantages as compared to conventional dentures.

Today’s message answers the most prevalent questions about implant dentures.

The first thing to know is that a fixed implant denture is called an “implant-supported” denture while a removable one is called an “implant-retained” denture.

What Are Implant Dentures?

Like traditional dentures, implant-supported dentures replace missing teeth. The difference is that they are attached to titanium posts which are surgically implanted into the jawbone.

Each post is called an implant. The implant fuses with the surrounding bone structure to create an incredibly sturdy restoration. These posts are similar to the implants that hold a crown, except instead of a crown, they have a clip that attaches to the denture, partial denture, or metal bar that holds the denture connectors. Implants can be used for both upper and lower dentures.

Bar-Retained and Ball-Retained Systems

There are two types of implant stabilization methods: bar-retained and ball-retained. For both, the denture is constructed with gum-colored acrylic for the base to which porcelain (or acrylic) false teeth are attached. The denture necessitates, at a minimum, two implants for stabilization.

With the ball-retained system, each post holds an attachment (male or female) that fits into a corresponding connector on the denture. These are sometimes called “stud-attachment.”

With bar-retained dentures, a metal bar is anchored to two to five implants. The bar holds the clips that connect to the denture.

To learn more about dental implants please call us at Boulder County Smiles in Lafayette CO. We’ve helped pataients in Boulder, Louisville, and Broomfield. Call for an appointment today!

Contact Boulder County Smiles:

303-665-5335

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

1140 W South Boulder Rd Ste 201
Lafayette, Colorado
80026