Implant dentures are a revolutionary advance over traditional dentures, but not all implant dentures are the same and neither are their attachment options. Dental implants are securely fixed in your jawbone, but they have to be attached to your dentures somehow. There are many different attachment options, and each technique has its own advantages and disadvantages. Dentures can be attached to your implants so that the full force of chewing is transmitted to the bone, or they can just sit on your gums like traditional dentures, but held in place by implants. Your dentures can also be fixed to your implants or they can be removable for cleaning and maintenance.

Want to learn which attachment options are best for your implant dentures in Rockland County? Please call (845) 627-7645 or email us for an appointment with a denture dentist at B & D Dental Excellence – A Dental365 Company in West Nyack.

Supported vs. Retained Implant Denture Attachment Options

During your consultation, we have to decide first whether you want your dentures to be supported by your implants or retained by them. When we refer to dentures supported by dental implants, these are dentures that transfer all the force of chewing through the implant into the bone. These dentures really do function just like your natural teeth–you’ll find that you bite with about the same force and can chew normally. Implant-supported dentures are very desirable in terms of appearance and function, but they do have disadvantages. First, they require more dental implants, and, therefore may be more expensive. Because of the demands on implants and dentures, not everyone is a candidate for these dentures. And because of the additional force, dentures may be more likely to break or wear.

Implant retained dentures are held in place by dental implants, but they aren’t designed to transmit most of the force into the implant and the bone. Instead, most of the force is supported by the gums under the dentures. You’ll see an improvement in your biting force and chewing, but it won’t be as much as with fully supported dentures. Retained dentures are less expensive and most people can get them. They will still ensure that your dentures won’t slip or click, which is the main concern most people have about their traditional dentures.
Dental Implant Attachment Options for Rockland County, New York

Fixed and Removable Implant Denture Attachment Options

Fixed dentures are completely bonded to your dental implants. These dentures are not designed to be removed throughout their lifetime.

Fully fixed dentures have become less popular as we have realized that there are situations under which we might want to remove your dentures for cleaning or maintenance. More popular are what are sometimes known as hybrid dentures. These dentures are fixed to your dental implants by screws. Your dentist can remove them if necessary. But from your standpoint they are not removable. They are fully fixed to the implants.

Both fixed and hybrid dentures are good choices for implant-supported dentures.

Removable dentures are designed so that you can remove them for cleaning. In most cases, removable dentures should be removed nightly for cleaning. Removable dentures are best suited for implant-retained dentures. In some cases, implant-supported removable dentures can be dislodged by chewing.

There are many different attachment options for connecting your removable dentures. There are bar fixtures, ball-and-socket fixtures, and even implant locators based on magnets. There are new options for removable dentures all the time, optimizing the ability to be removable when you want them to and fixed when you want them in place. Sometimes we can even update your old implants with new attachments so they will be better retained.

Would you like to learn more about the benefits of implant dentures in Rockland County? Please call (845) 627-7645 or email us for an appointment at B & D Dental Excellence – A Dental365 Company in West Nyack.