For the last couple of blog posts, we’ve been talking a lot about how dental implants are the best way to replace missing teeth and prevent the negative consequences that are associated with missing teeth. Not everyone can get dental implants; you’ve got to meet certain health requirements. However, if you are a good candidate to receive dental implants, they are the only solution that doesn’t compromise on performance while being entirely discrete.
Smile Glen Ellyn (located in Glen Ellyn, IL, and serving patients throughout the Chicago area) offers several types of dental implants to meet your specific needs; we can place dental implants that are ideal for your specific health profile and lifestyle, so you can get the most out of your dental implants.
What Dental Implants are Available at Smile Glen Ellyn?
Besides standard dental implants, we also offer dental implants that are designed to replace multiple lost teeth, as well as dental implants that will work even in mouths of patients who don’t have perfect oral health.
Dentures 2.0
Conventional dentures are still popular today, owing to their low (upfront) cost, and the fact that people are simply more familiar with them. Conventional dentures have many drawbacks, however, and if you can avoid them, you should. Conventional dentures depend entirely on how they fit in your mouth to stay in place and remain effective (well, as effective as conventional dentures can be; conventional dentures will only allow you 10% of your bite strength, which means you’ll have to get used to a lot of lifestyle changes). When the fit is lost, the dentures can be embarrassing (slipping out, causing a clicking sound that is very audible and noticeable) and even dangerous: all that movement results in a lot of rubbing between your oral tissues, your teeth, and the dentures. This can create mouth sores that can serve as entryways for infection and disease.
However, dentures are a cost-effective way to replace multiple lost teeth at once, which is why we offer dentures that are supported by dental implants. There are two types:
Implant Retained Dentures
Implant retained dentures are the less intensive option of the two types of implant-supported dentures available at Smile Glen Ellyn. Two dental implants (although as many as four can be used, depending on your specific need) are placed, and the dentures snap into position. The dentures are still removable, and you’ll still need to clean them regularly to eliminate harmful bacteria and avoid complications.
Bar Supported Dentures
Instead of two to four dental implants supporting only the dentures, bar supported dentures require at five or even six implants. The implants support a bar, which in turn holds the dentures. These are much more stable than even implant retained dentures, and provide even greater biting strength, allowing you to live the same life you’ve always lived, but with improved confidence.
Bridge to the Future
Bridges, like dentures, are a well-known solution for missing one or more than one teeth. Traditionally, bridges work by using a pair of crowns to support a replacement tooth or set of teeth. They are effective, and you won’t sacrifice as much performance as with conventional dentures. However, placing the crowns usually means that healthy teeth must be filed down; this removes enamel, your first and last defense against bacteria and infection (it does not grow back after it is gone). Traditional bridges also must be replaced entirely every five to seven years.
Implant-supported bridges are ideal for replacing your partial dentures; instead of relying on dental crowns, implants will support the artificial tooth or teeth. The more stable foundation provided by implants will increase performance, and will allow the bridge to last longer than traditional bridges.
Teeth in a Day (All-on-Four Dental Implants)
All-on-Four dental implants are a more recent addition to the world of dental implants, and they’re ideal if you need to replace many teeth, or even all your teeth.
A standard dental implant will support a single artificial tooth; however, it’s not practical or safe to use many standard dental implants to replace a lot of missing teeth.
All-on-Four solves this by using only four dental implants to support an entire arch of artificial teeth.
Even better, you can have your new teeth in one day!
Are You Missing Teeth and Looking for Solutions?
Consider dental implants! Call us today and make an appointment; your dentist will examine your teeth, gums, and jaw to determine if you’re well enough to support dental implants, and if not, whether you could benefit from restorative procedures (such as a bone graft to enhance the bone density in your jaw) that will get you in good enough shape to get implants.
Dial 630-858-8800, or click here for our online appointment form to book your visit right now!
