Implants and Overdentures — An Option for Enhancing Your Smile in St. Petersburg, FL
Implants and overdentures can be an excellent option if you’re considering dentures to replace some of your natural teeth. Or, perhaps you already wear conventional dentures but you have trouble keeping them secure in your mouth. The experienced and compassionate team of dental professionals at Florida Dental Centers in St. Petersburg, FL, can evaluate your needs and help you choose the right treatment approach for you. Within our own local dental practice, we provide comprehensive dental care — usually without the need for referrals.
A dentist at Florida Dental Centers in St. Petersburg, Florida, can fully explain how implants and overdentures differ from conventional dentures. In essence, a regular denture simply rests on top of the gums and relies on the regular application of a special adhesive to keep it in place. On the other hand, an implant-supported denture “snaps” onto a special attachment that is implanted in the jaw bone. This provides an exceptional level of support, security, and stability.
When compared to conventional dentures, implants and overdentures offer a number of advantages, and while some are purely cosmetic, all can potentially improve your quality of life. These include:
- Eating foods you enjoy — Some types of food, such as those that are particularly hard or chewy, can be difficult to eat with dentures that are secured by adhesives. Implant-retained dentures can make it easier to chew all types of food more thoroughly, which can promote digestion and increase your body’s absorption of essential nutrients.
- Eliminating the need for denture adhesives — Denture retention products are sometimes messy, can affect the taste of food, and do not always provide a strong enough hold, which can allow a denture to easily become dislodged. Implants and overdentures are highly stable and will remain secure in your mouth — without the costs and hassles of using adhesives to keep them in place.
- Preventing bone loss — Unlike traditional dentures, overdentures are attached to medical-grade titanium implants that ultimately become integrated with the jaw bone through a process known as osseointegration. This can help preserve your jaw bone by slowing or even stopping bone resorption (shrinkage), which often occurs in people who wear regular dentures.
- Enhancing your self-confidence — Implants and overdentures can enhance both your smile and your natural facial contours. Because the denture will be firmly secured in your mouth, you won’t have to worry about embarrassing dislodgement, uncomfortable gum irritation, or any associated speech impediments.
If you’d like to schedule an appointment with a dentist to discuss implants and overdentures, contact Florida Dental Centers. We know that you’re busy and we’ll always respect your time. That’s why we’ll always aim to provide your treatment in the fewest number of appointments possible. We are proud to serve patients in several offices, one of which is conveniently located in St. Petersburg, FL.
