Overdentures are attached and supported by dental implants. Ascent Dental Care’s highly trained dentists will identify if there is enough bone for the dental implants to be successfully placed.
Why would you need overdentures?
- If you have lost most or all of your teeth
- Extensive bone loss
- Support for your existing dentures
- Improve speech and ability to eat
- Re-build confidence
Benefits of overdentures
Overdentures are best suited for patients:
- Wishing to have the benefits of dental implants without the need for bone grafting
- Wanting a dental solution for lower costs
- That want a secure denture, which will not affect their eating and chewing
- Overdentures also prevent further bone loss, as dental implants support the surrounding bone structure (compared to conventional dentures)
How long does the overdenture treatment take?
The Overdenture treatment will vary from patient to patient (discussed during initial
consultation) but can be completed in as little as 3-4 months.
What will the procedure involve?
After the initial consultation to identify which treatment will suit you, the Overdenture procedure will involve:
Initial diagnostic stage
- X-rays and impressions will produce study models, which are a copy of your jaws
- A CT scan may be taken to help diagnose and visualise the jaws three-dimensionally, ensuring there is enough bone for the dental implants, also establishing where your sinuses and nerves are (to avoid during the procedure)
- (Temporary dentures will be made for the patient to be worn during this period below)
Stabilisation
Any other treatment required shall be completed before the implants are placed, e.g.:
- Scale and Polish
- Gum Treatment
- Removal of decay from teeth to keep
- Replacement of failing restorations
- Extraction of teeth which are of poor prognosis
Implant placement
- The implants will be placed into the jawbone based on the assessment of the x-rays and CT scans.
- Implants can be placed under local anaesthetic or intravenous sedation. This will be decided before starting the treatment by consultation with the dentist and yourself.
- Before the next visit can occur, the implants will need to heal and integrate with the jawbone. This process usually takes three months; during this time, you will have your temporary dentures so you can continue with your day-to-day routine
Restoration
- After three months, we will start restoring the implants. A healing collar is then placed onto the implants (under local anaesthetic) to connect the dental implants and overdentures.
- The newly created overdentures will be fitted, and the temporary dentures can be disposed of.
- The Ascent Dental Care dentist will then show the patient how to look after their new overdentures.
Examples of overdenture treatment
Case 1 – Unsecure dentures
This elderly gentleman was troubled with his previous unsecured denture. Our dental technician, custom-made this denture, which was then securely fitted to dental implants to give the patient a complete and functional mouth.
Case 2 – Four implants
This patient suffered from gum disease affecting the upper teeth and wore an upper partial denture. The upper teeth were removed, and four implants were placed following CT scan planning. The implants were splinted together with a bar and an overdenture was provided.
