Your dentures have served you well over the years. Lately, though, you’ve noticed the fit loosening in the lower denture. It’s not a new problem: you’ve had them refitted a few times already. But now it seems to be growing worse and you’re having more trouble chewing food or speaking clearly.

The problem isn’t all wear and tear with your dentures — the bone in your jaw is shrinking. A denture applies forces that are compressive. Natural teeth produce forces when we chew that travel through the tooth root and stimulate the bone to grow. Without teeth, there’s no such force to stimulate the bone. As a result, new bone cells don’t replace older cells at a healthy rate and bone volume diminishes over time. Because traditional dentures are supported by the gum ridges, the constant compressive forces on the gums can also contribute to bone loss.

As mentioned, we can refit dentures by lining them with new acrylic material. Eventually, though, it may be necessary to consider a new set of dentures that match the altered contours of your jaw. But continuing bone loss might lead to the same fate for your new dentures as your previous pair.

There’s a relatively new alternative, though, that could provide greater denture stability and help deter bone loss: implant overdentures. They’re actually a union between a traditional denture and a dental implant, a tooth replacement approach introduced over thirty years ago.

With this option, two strategically-placed implants are surgically inserted into the jaw bone. We then manufacture a denture (or retrofit your current dentures, if possible) with fittings that connect to the implants. Once in the mouth, the dentures gain their main support from the implants rather than the gum ridge, which relieves pressure on the bone. And because the titanium implant has a natural affinity with bone, new bone will grow and attach itself to it, increasing its stability and stopping bone loss.

Although more expensive than traditional dentures, implant overdentures are more affordable than individual teeth replaced by implants and are very cost-effective over time. What’s more, they can restore the comfort and confidence to eat, speak and smile that you once enjoyed when you had your own teeth.

If you would like more information on implant-supported dentures, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Implant Overdentures.”

There are good reasons, for both health and appearance, to replace a missing tooth with a dental implant or similar restoration as soon as is practical. The bone around a tooth socket diminishes the longer it remains empty, up to 25% the first year. And, of course, your smile is less attractive, especially with a highly visible tooth.

If it’s your teenager, though, you may need to wait on a permanent restoration because their jaws are still developing. An implant placed before completion of jaw development could eventually appear out of alignment with neighboring teeth.

Our biggest concern is protecting bone health at the site of the missing tooth. We can do this and encourage growth by placing bone grafts (processed minerals from another donor) that serve as scaffolds on which surrounding bone can grow. Grafts usually dissolve (resorb) over time, but the rate of resorption can be slowed for a younger patient in need of long-term bone growth.

Planned orthodontic treatment can usually go on as scheduled. The orthodontist may accommodate the tooth loss by adding a temporary tooth within the braces or other device that matches the color and shape of the patient’s natural teeth. The orthodontist will also take care to maintain the empty space for a future implant or other restoration.

A dental implant is considered the best option for a missing tooth, not only for its life-like appearance and durability, but also its ability to encourage bone maintenance. Timing, though, is essential for teenagers. As it grows, the upper jaw will tend to move forward and down. Natural teeth move with this growth; implants, though, are attached differently and won’t move with the jawbone. While the other teeth around them move, the implants can appear to shrink back resulting in an unattractive smile appearance. So waiting until the jaw has finished growing is important.

For most people, jaw growth finishes by age twenty-one for men, women usually faster, but each person is different. The dentist’s expertise and experience, coupled with comparisons of adult family members’ facial appearances, will help determine the right time to undertake a permanent restoration for the best outcome both for health and a permanent, attractive smile.

If you would like more information on treating teenagers with missing teeth, please contact us to schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Dental Implants for Teenagers.”