Well, a variety of ways! Dental implants have come so far in the past five years. New techniques and products are making installation of implants so much easier for the dentist and on the patient! There are three ways implants can serve your needs: to secure dentures, to anchor replacement teeth and to anchor a permanent bridge.
SECURING DENTURES
Implants can anchor removable dentures securely, using special snaps, bars and clips, or magnets which hold the dentures to the implant. Using implants this way gives you the option of removing your dentures for cleaning, while letting you enjoy a safe, confident fit. I have many patients who have opted for this route as it reduces anxiety while eating and speaking. There is probably nothing worse than speaking with someone and your denture falls out. Or trying to eat a steak at a restaurant and having to chew ever so carefully so as not to dislodge your denture. Two well placed dental implants will secure your denture so that you never have to deal with those kind of embarrassments again.
ANCHORING REPLACEMENT TEETH
With nearly 40 million Americans having lost some or all of their teeth, dental implants are a popular option for replacing those lost teeth. New replacement teeth can be “locked” to the implant so that only your dentist can remove them. This is a wonderful option for those of you who really want to restore your smile with beautiful permanent teeth that look natural and are stronger than your original tooth was! But there are more reasons than asthetic ones to use implants: The use of implants keeps your jaw bone and the bone around your teeth from receeding helping to prevent bone loss, stabilizes your bite, restores proper chewing ability and eliminates tooth shifting. Tooth shifting due to missing teeth can eventually cause your smile to change and, more importantly, your bite to change which opens a big can of worms with potential for chronic jaw soreness.
ANCHORING A PERMANENT BRIDGE
In this instance, implants can secure one end of a bridge, while the other end attaches to your natural tooth. Or implants can be used to anchor both ends.
Please feel free to email me any questions you may have regarding implants and how they may serve your own situation.