Doctor Charles Betts on dentures and implant supported dentures
In the area of denture treatment, of course the newest thing is anchoring dentures in the mouth with implants, dental implants, because a denture that’s moving around when you’re trying to chew can be very annoying and uncomfortable. The other good thing about dental implants is that since the implants are placed in the bone, and bone grows to stress, the implants actually keep the bone from continuing to go away wherever the implants are placed. So it preserves bone, it allows retention of denture, and gives people confidence in chewing and in smiling. Eating with implant-anchored dentures is definitely different than eating with an unanchored denture because it’s not moving so much in the mouth. When you’re dealing with a denture that’s not anchored, then not only are you trying to manipulate the food, you’re also trying to balance the denture. So it all becomes a balancing act. While a denture is still a denture, if it’s anchored in the mouth with implants, it gives you a restoration that’s more closely attuned to what you originally had.