If you are considering implant dentures to replace your lost teeth, at Rice Dentistry in Irvine, California, we help patients understand that there are several ways to approach the placement of dentures on dental implants. The biggest difference is between implant-supported dentures and implant-retained dentures.
What Are Implant-Supported Dentures?
Implant-supported dentures are dentures that use dental implants to support the force of your bite. The implants fully support the force into the jaw bone to give you the most natural and effective bite possible.
In general implant-supported dentures are more expensive as they require more dental implants and made out of higher quality materials. They often cannot use mini implants, so people need a good amount of bone to support them. These dentures are less likely to be removable denture implants.
What Are Implant Retained Dentures?
Implant retained dentures use dental implants to hold them in place. The implants also hold the force of the bite on the gums. Unlike implant-supported dentures, implant-retained dentures can use mini implants to secure themselves or require fewer implants altogether. They also have a wide range of material options available.
These dentures have the benefit of not coming out while talking or eating and giving somewhat improved bite force, but they don’t fully replicate your natural bite. Patients should remove their implant-retained dentures at night for cleaning.
Implant-Supported Dentures vs Implant Retained Dentures: Which Is Right for You?
Both types of dentures can give great cosmetic and functional results, so picking the right type of implant dentistry at Rice Dentistry in Irvine, California, depends on some related factors that can determine how each will fit into your lifestyle.
Are You a Candidate?
First, you have to consider whether your jawbone is compatible with implant-supported dentures. If you don’t have enough jawbone to support a full complement of dental implants, you may not be able to get an implant-supported denture.
Diet
If you are a big fan of some hard-to-chew foods like steak, you’ll probably get better results from implant-supported dentures.
Health
If you have conditions like TMJ or sleep apnea that will benefit from the support of having your dentures in at night, you should look at permanently affixed implant-supported dentures, which have the strength to help with your conditions. You also don’t need to remove them at night.
Lifestyle
If you don’t like the thought of having removable dentures or want to make sure your teeth are always in place when you wake up first thing in the morning, then implant-supported dentures are the right choice.
Cost
Never make a health decision exclusively based on cost, but it’s an important factor to consider. For instance, cosmetic dentistry might look expensive on paper, but the benefits it provides to your health and confidence are priceless. Dentures vs implants cost are no different. Comparing the two types of implant dentures, implant-supported dentures tend to be significantly more expensive. Many factors affect the cost of dental implants.
Contact Rice Dentistry Today
If you’re interested in discussing the possibility of implanted-retained or implant-supported dentures, call (949) 551-5902 or use our online contact form to schedule a consultation appointment with the implant dentists at Rice Dentistry in Irvine, California.
