The importance of replacing lost teeth is underscored by the fact that prosthetics were among the first dental restorations ever created (in the forms of primitive crowns, bridges, and dentures).  Today, replacement teeth have become more stable and lifelike than ever before – thanks in large part to the innovation of dental implants.

For instance, patients who’ve worn dentures for several years may be familiar with their propensity to become loose and shift around. However, with the support of one or more dental implants, your dentures can rest as securely along your dental ridge as your natural teeth and their roots.

How Dentures Become Loose

A denture contains a full set of replacement teeth, and is traditionally supported by a gum-colored base designed to fit snugly on your dental ridge. After you’ve lost a significant amount of teeth (and particularly, their roots), your jawbone can gradually lose density from lack of natural stimulation. As the jawbone shrinks, your denture can lose its grip, and eventually begin to shift around as you bite, chew, and speak.

How Dentures Can Retain Their Grip

Although dentures can often be held in place using advanced adhesive, the better option is often to stabilize your denture on a series of dental implants. Implant posts can be surgically inserted into your jawbone, which fuses to the implants’ surfaces, and then used to support your denture in the same way natural roots stabilize your teeth.

By mimicking your natural teeth’s root-and-crown design, implant-supported dentures do not become loose, and offer the most realistic results for replacing one or more lost teeth.