The benefits of lower implant-retained dentures for replacing missing teeth

For years, Calgary, Alberta area residents have had to rely on traditional full dentures as their only option for tooth replacement. Unfortunately, dentures have a long list of disadvantages. Some common complaints are that they tend to wear out with time and are known to unexpectedly slip out of place. Some describe them as uncomfortable and unnatural. Conventional dentures require adhesives that may taste bad, and can fail at the most inopportune times. The good news is that, for those plagued with these and other drawbacks to conventional dentures, there are alternatives! The Living Wellness Dental Dorchester team routinely recommends upper and lower implant-retained dentures, sometimes referred to as “All on Fours” as an excellent substitute. 

How do implant-retained dentures work?

Clients interested in the benefits of implant-retained dentures can contact Living Wellness Dental Dorchester to meet and collaborate with Dr. Kindal Robertson and Dr. Jon Calvert. During these collaborative sessions clients can express their desires and values and determine if implant-retained dentures are right for them. Where they are selected as the preferred tooth replacement option, dental implants (a post and abutment, made of materials that can be assessed to be biocompatible with a client’s physiology) are carefully inserted into the upper and/or lower jawbone. The bone is given time to heal and adhere to the posts (a process called osseointegration). Once the posts and abutments are firmly in place, a permanent prosthesis (denture, which also can be carefully fabricated with biocompatible materials) is attached. Traditional dentures do little to help stabilize the jaw or maintain natural bone. Over time, the absence of teeth and their roots causes the jawbone to shrink, which may result in that “sunken” and “aged” appearance many experience in the jaw and chin area.

What are the benefits of implant-retained dentures?

Implant-retained dentures have many appealing features for potential clients to consider. They:

• allow clients to speak with ease and clarity.
• allow clients to have a varied diet with many of their favourite foods.
• tend to appear more natural than traditional acrylic dentures.
• restore confidence and comfort to those who worry about the unpredictability of traditional denture performance.
• allow the client to maintain as much natural bone as possible, reducing the process of bone resorption common in edentulous patients.

If you are interested in finding out how implant-retained dentures can benefit you, or if you have questions about any implant procedures, call Living Wellness Dental Dorchester at (587) 327-1500 to request an appointment with our family-oriented team. Our website, www.lwdd.ca, is replete with information on dental implants and All on Fours. You can find Dr. Kindal Robertson and Dr. Jon Calvert at Suite 601, 1333 8 Street S.W., Calgary, Alberta.