A dental implant is an ideal option for replacing one or more missing teeth. Dental implants are titanium posts that are placed into the jawbone beneath your gums. After 1-4 months of healing, the implant fuses to your jawbone, providing stable support for a replacement tooth, or crown, to be mounted on top. Dentures or bridges mounted to implants won’t shift or slip in your mouth, proving to be especially important while speaking and eating.
To receive implants, the patient needs to have healthy gums and adequate bone. Occasionally, additional bone is needed to support the implant. Meticulous oral hygiene and regular dental visits are a critical part to the long-term success of dental implants.
Fixed Hybrid Implant Denture
Dr. Austin Westover is the only certified Hybridge dentist in the Winchester area. The hybrid implant denture consists of dentures that are fixed onto 4-6 implants. Unlike regular dentures, hybrid implant dentures are fixed into your mouth and won’t move around like a traditional denture.
The dental implants support a titanium or gold bar that anchors a set of acrylic teeth in place. The bar is permanently fixed in one place, which means your dentures won’t move around. The process can often be done in a single day, and most patients have about 80-90% function compared to having natural teeth.
Locator Overdenture
Implant overdentures are indicated for patients who desire a more stable prosthesis that improves retention, function and speech. This is an acrylic denture that snaps onto 2-6 implants. It needs to be removed at night for proper hygiene. It has excellent retention and does not move around while speaking or chewing. It is stable enough for patients to chew most types of food.
Mini Implants
Mini implants are small posts used to stabilize a loose denture. They are placed below the gums, providing small attachments for the denture to hold onto. The denture is then fitted with rubber caps and snapped onto the mini implants, stabilizing the entire denture.
Please feel free to ask our dentists details about the pros/cons, advantages/disadvantages of each type of implant prosthetic available. We are always happy to answer any of your questions!
