Dentures

For many patients with missing teeth, dentures (false teeth) are presented as the quickest and most affordable treatment option. Despite this, we now know that in as little time as a few months, particularly in older patients, missing teeth can lead to bone loss without the support and nourishment that would normally from the tooth and its natural root.

Unfortunately, traditional dentures do not provide this support. Despite this, they are a convenient if impermanent replacement for missing teeth, which can be removed for daily cleaning and storage. Partial dentures, which replace at least one tooth but not the entire row, can shift in your mouth and cause discomfort or difficulty when eating, talking, or smiling.

Implant-supported dentures, however, replace several teeth at once using at least two permanent dental implants to support the false teeth. All-on-4 or all-on-6 implants may also be implicated. To avoid unwanted bone loss resulting from living with missing teeth, ask your provider about implant-supported dentures or permanent dental implants.