An over denture is very similar to a conventional denture however instead of being retained by the tissues of the mouth, they contain elastic connectors that stabilise the denture when attached to specially prepared dental implants in the jaw. The implants can act individually or can be splinted to act together and increase the amount of support offered to the overlying denture.
An implant supported over denture replaces a full set of upper or lower teeth. They can be much more stable and secure than traditional dentures while still able to be removed to be kept clean. They are most commonly used to replace the lower teeth where a conventional denture is not stable enough to provide good chewing ability. While the degree of support offered by an over denture is very high, there will still be some sensation of movement due to the fact the denture is also supported by the compressible tissues of the mouth.
When considering the options for replacing a full set of teeth (either upper or lower) there many different options. You should consult with your prosthodontist to discuss what is the best option for your individual situation. Your options may include
Conventional dentures can be very successful; however if you have tried conventional dentures and they are not providing you with enough stability to chew adequately or you are having problems keeping the dentures in your mouth then using implants to aide in denture retention can offer a radically improved outcome. The choice is then between an implant supported over denture and an implant retained fixed bridge.
An implant-supported over denture is similar to a denture in that the tissues of the mouth provide a majority of the biting forces. The implants act to prevent dislodgement of the denture only. It is a simpler procedure and requires less remaining bone to be present.
An implant-retained fixed bridge involves the use of more implants and requires that more bone is present particularly in the back of the mouth. This may mean that more bone grafting is required to obtain the proper distribution of implants throughout the mouth. Once these implants are placed a fixed bridge is made to attach to these implants. The bridge can only be removed by your prosthodontist. It is not always possible to have an implant bridge and this options requires more commitment both in terms of dental visits and financial outlay than an implant supported over denture
Potential complications mainly stem from risk of implant failure, which are covered in a separate section. Other complications unique to implant supported over dentures include
You will need to attend for regular review appointments to assess the fit of the over denture.
A successful implant retained over denture requires careful evaluation of the remaining tissues of the mouth and planning of the correct position of the implants. Once implants are placed in the correct position the denture should be comfortable and stable with a precision connection to the implants via elastic connectors
