Defining Bar-Retained, Implant Support Overdentures

An option you might want to consider if you are looking for more functional consistency, but do not want to replace all your missing teeth with single implant crowns is a bar-retained, implant supported overdenture. This is a hybrid solution that optimizes both the benefits of comprehensive dentures with that of implants. 

Bar-retained dentures have three main components: 

1.  Overdenture: An overdenture is the prosthetic that sits on top of the implants and the attachments.
2. Implants: Implants are usually titanium posts that are surgically placed in the alveolar bone beneath the teeth. The alveolar bone fuses to the implant in a process called osseointegration. 
3.  Attachment Appliance: There are several attachment appliance options, but in this case, the attachment is a bar fitted to the implants. The overdenture snaps into place and is secured by the bar and further stabilized by the implants.

Fixed Full Arch Dentures vs Traditional Dentures

Traditional dentures are supported by just the gums and an adhesive. Patients often complain that their prosthetic shifts around their arch, making it hard to speak and eat. The friction generated by the denture’s abrasive movements may cause sores to form, making the prosthetic uncomfortable to wear. Furthermore, dentures are notorious for falling out at the most inopportune time, which can be extremely embarrassing. Implant supported dentures marginalize horizontal and vertical movement because the prosthetic is stabilized by implants and additional attachments.

Aesthetic Quality

In the past, dentures were not true-to-life; today they are. If you wear implant-fixed dentures your friends will think you have replaced all of your teeth with implants. They will be shocked when you tell them you have a prosthetic. This is because the labs who make prosthetics have access to better materials, and better equipment that can create a smile that is precisely tailored to you. 

Implants and Bone Degeneration

A common consequence of tooth loss is bone loss. Why is this? Well, your alveolar bone sits right below the tooth socket. The roots of natural teeth are fused to this bone. As you go about your day, your teeth experience weight, micro-fracturing, and vibrations that travel down through the root of the tooth into the bone. The transmission of weight and energy fortifies the bone, forcing it to grow in such a way that it can adequately support the tooth. If the tooth disappears, the bone atrophies. Because implants structurally mimic teeth, they prevent bone degeneration and even promote growth. 

How to Choose the Right Option

There are many different options available to you. In order to fully identify what they are, we will need to examine your pre-existing arches and the amount of bone tissue you have available to you. If you are interested in implant-supported dentures, call us today at (586) 207-1091.