If you wear dentures, then you probably remember the trouble that you went through to get your new teeth. First, you may have had your damaged or unhealthy teeth removed at different stages or all at once. Next, your dentist took measurements and impressions of your mouth to form the base of your denture. You may have even participated in the selection of the teeth and gums that would make your new teeth look more natural.
Once your denture was fabricated in a lab, you were back in the dental office for adjustments and relines until they fit just right. Why is it, then, that your dentures have lost their fit? Why must you now depend on denture glues and adhesives when these teeth were designed just for you?
The truth is that traditional dentures are not designed to perform all of the functions of your natural teeth. Dentures are designed to conform to the shape and curvatures of the gums and then hold their position through the force of suction. Unfortunately, the shape and the curvature of the gums, and most importantly the bone beneath the gums, will become diminished over time, and the denture will lose its primary source of support. Even with relines, adjustments, and adhesives, there will come a time when your anatomy can no longer hold the denture in place.
Without constant stimulation from the tooth roots, the jaw bone will undergo a process called resorption. In this process, the boney ridge that once supported your denture essentially dissolves or becomes flattened as it loses density and volume. On the surface, the gum tissue becomes flaccid or loose. The loss of the bony ridge and the increasing flabbiness of the gums suddenly creates an environment which is unsuitable for a traditional denture.
To help you to regain your bite’s stability, have permanently attached teeth and to prevent further bone deterioration, your oral surgeon may suggest the All-on-4 procedure. In this procedure, four dental implants are utilized to create the bone stimulation once provided by the natural teeth while permanently anchoring a full arch of new teeth. This comfortable an unchanging arrangement will virtually guarantee that you denture never again loses its fit.
Find out if the All-on-4 procedure is right for you by contacting ORA® Oral Surgery & Implant Studio at 312-328-9000 today.