When you lose a tooth, it is best for your oral health to have it replaced. Missing teeth can affect your “bite” as well as your ability to speak and chew. This loss can increase the burden on your remaining teeth and can cause muscle pain in your jaws and headaches. In addition, loss of a tooth can affect your appearance and confidence.
While many patients have no problem wearing an upper denture, some people can find it difficult to wear and eat with lower dentures. We offer several implant-supported replacement options at Red Cliffs Dental in St. George, Utah.
One option is to have two implants placed in your lower jaw and a denture made that snaps onto these dental implants. This option can allow your lower denture to be more stable while chewing than without implants. However, there will still be movement of your lower denture, and sore spots can occur if any food particles, especially seeds, are caught under the denture. As with all removable replacement teeth, you still will need periodic appointments for denture adjustments.
One option is to have two implants placed in your lower jaw and a denture made that snaps onto these dental implants. This option can allow your lower denture to be more stable while chewing than without implants. However, there will still be movement of your lower denture, and sore spots can occur if any food particles, especially seeds, are caught under the denture. As with all removable replacement teeth, you still will need periodic appointments for denture adjustments.
Screw Retained Denture involves placing five or more implants in your jaw and attaching a permanent denture. The denture is held in place by screws or clasps which secure it to the support posts or bar. This option does not touch the gum tissue, allowing you to clean under the denture without removing it. This Screw Retained Denture replaces all your missing lower teeth and will not be removed except at maintenance visits. Although cleaning under your denture without removing it is more time consuming and requires more dexterity, many patients who want a permanent denture prefer this option.
The Implant Retained Upper Denture can be a good option as the bone in the upper jaw is not as hard as the lower jaw, and people can often need more implants to support their new replacement teeth. Depending upon the number of implants to be placed, it can be a possible option to eliminate the need for covering the roof of your mouth with a complete denture.
The Implant Retained Upper Denture allows a person to fully taste their food and gives you a better sense of the food’s temperature which is important. Your denture will feel more natural and you still have the benefits of a removable denture, making cleaning the support bar and denture much easier.
Depending upon the number of implants to be placed, it may be possible to eliminate the need for covering the roof of your mouth with a complete denture. This option allows you to fully taste your food and gives you a better sense of its temperature. Your denture will feel more natural. You will still have a removable denture, which makes cleaning the support bar and denture much easier.
Discover the passion and commitment that drives our dental team
Dr. Adam Kwiatkowski, a graduate of the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Dentistry, has received multiple awards for his outstanding achievements in cosmetic and implant dentistry. He is a recipient of the International Congress of Oral Implantologists’ Pre-doctoral Student Achievement Award and a member of the Omicron Kappa Upsilon National Dental Honor Society.
Dr. Hearne, originally from Las Vegas, was inspired to become a dentist at the age of 12 by a close family friend who was a renowned dentist. With a foundation in customer service and excellence from his early career in the hotel industry, Dr. Hearne was further inspired to become a compassionate caregiver for his patients after the passing of his younger brother to cystic fibrosis at the age of 7.
I was born in Ogden, Utah and always knew I wanted to pursue a career in healthcare. After serving an LDS mission in South Africa and getting married, I studied biology at Weber State University and attended the prestigious Creighton University School of Dentistry in Omaha, Nebraska. There, I received multiple awards for clinical excellence before settling down in St. George with my family.
Tuesdays by appointment only
