Implant Supported Dentures (All-on-4®) Specialist

What are implant-supported dentures?

Implant-supported dentures are a removable oral appliance that contains artificial replacement teeth. The dentures are anchored to your gums by dental implants.

The dentures snap onto the special posts that extend from the dental implants. The purpose of implant-supported dentures is to keep your dentures securely in place so you can chew and speak more naturally.

Am I a good candidate for implant-supported dentures?

You may be a good candidate for implant-supported dentures if:

• You’re missing all your teeth or need to have them all extracted
• Your jaw is healthy enough to support dental implants

Your dentist at Fairfax Corner Dental provides thorough health and dental assessments to determine whether or not implant-supported dentures are appropriate for you. After an oral exam and X-rays, he or she can determine if your jawbone has enough density for implants.

What’s the process of getting implant-supported dentures?

Your first visit is your consultation during which your dentist at Fairfax Corner Dental takes your medical history, performs an exam, and takes X-rays to determine your treatment plan. Next, your dentist takes impressions of your gum line to create a set of temporary dentures.

The temporary dentures provide a model framework your dentist uses to create your implant-supported dentures. The temporary dentures also help your dentist determine the best final placement for the implants.

Next, you undergo implant surgery. While you’re under the appropriate level of anesthesia, your dentist makes an incision into your gums, drills a hole for each implant, and inserts the implants into the holes.

After surgery, your dentist makes adjustments to your temporary dentures, so they don’t place pressure on the implants. Then, you need to wait several months to heal before the second surgery.

The next surgery involves another incision into your gums, during which your dentist inserts collars around the implants. After about two weeks, your dentist attaches abutments to the implants and removes the collars.

Once the abutments are in place, your dentist takes final impressions for your permanent dentures to send to the lab. When the lab returns your new dentures, your dentist has you try them on to make sure they attach to the implants correctly. From there, your dentist makes any necessary adjustments and secures all components into place.

If you’d like to learn more about the benefits of implant-supported dentures, contact Fairfax Corner Dental online or over the phone for an appointment today.