3 Bone And Gum Procedures That Can Aid Your Overdenture Treatment
Partial dentures offer a dental replacement option when you have several teeth missing in an area but have some natural teeth present. The artificial teeth are attached to a plate that has holes to accommodate existing teeth. Full dentures have plates filled with enough artificial teeth to completely fill your mouth. Traditional partial or full dentures sit on your gums with little support. Overdentures are a more secure alternative due to the support of dental implant roots.
The dental implant roots go into the jawbone, which heals around the metal screw-shaped root. Your dentist will implant a few of these roots depending on the type of dentures you require. The roots require healthy jawbone to succeed, and the overdentures look better when paired with healthy gums at the base.
What are some of the bone and gum procedures that can help if you don't have the ideal oral conditions? Here are a few options to discuss with your family, general, or cosmetic dentistry specialist.
Bone Graft
Weakened or deteriorating jawbone can compromise a dental implant procedure. If you don't have healthy bone, your dentist will likely recommend a bone graft. The procedure uses either donor bone from elsewhere in your jaw or an outside provider to splice into those weak areas. The donor bone will fuse to the weakened bone during a healing process, and then you can undergo the implant roots for the overdentures.
But the bone graft offers more benefit than just making the bone strong enough for the implant roots. The graft will also make the bone smooth for a denture plate to rest on top, which should make your overdenture experience oven more comfortable.
Sinus Lift
Does your partial plate need to go on top or are you needing full dentures? Loss of teeth on the upper jaw combined with weakened jawbone can cause the sinus cavity to slip down out of its natural position. The change in position can cause you discomfort and put the cavity in the way of the implant roots.
Your dentist can perform a sinus lift to get the cavity back out of the way. The dentist will lift the cavity up with a tool then splice in donor bone for a bone graft. The graft will hold the cavity in place and will heal the bone underneath so a slip doesn't happen again.
Gingivoplasty
After your implants have healed and your overdentures are positioned, you might not like the way your gums look with the new setup. Your dentist can perform a gingivoplasty to better shape the gums under the artificial teeth.
For more information, contact local professionals like Joe Rosenberg, DDS.
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