Unlike a typical denture which sits on the gums, an implant-supported denture is supported by, and attached to, a dental implant. Here's more about implant-supported dentures from our Delta dentists.
What are dentures?
Dental prosthetics that replace missing teeth are called dentures. Dentures are generally supported by the soft and hard tissues of the oral cavity and are removable.
What are dental implants?
Dental implants are tiny titanium rods that are implanted directly into the jaw bone where the roots of the missing tooth once were. When dental implants are capped with a crown they are a natural looking permanent replacement for missing teeth.
How do dentures and dental implants work together?
A typical denture rests on the gums, and is not supported by implants. Implant-supported dentures are a good option for people who don't have any teeth in the jaw, but have enough bone in the jaw to support dental implants.
Implant-supported dentures have special attachments that snap onto corresponding attachments on the implants, helping to hold the denture securely in place.
Generally implant-supported dentures are made for the lower jaw, because regular dentures tend to be less stable there, but you can get an implant-supported denture in either the upper or lower jaw.