Love your smile and enjoy your favorite foods again with precision-fit implant dentures
Often, the complaints you or a loved one has with dentures are associated with a poor fit. At Desert Ridge Periodontics & Implant Dentistry, you can regain and maintain your comfort, function, and satisfaction with dentures. As a specialty center, we offer many services under our well-appointed roof in Scottsdale, Arizona. These services include implants as an option for replacing ill-fitting, uncomfortable, loose, and poorly functioning dentures.
Why are my dentures so uncomfortable?
Conventional dentures are not anchored in the jawbone like natural teeth; instead, they rest on top of the hard and soft tissues in the jaw. These dentures rely on natural suction in the mouth to stay in place. This suction forms a tight seal between the denture and the surrounding natural tissues that support it. The denture must fit seamlessly with the surrounding tissues to achieve and maintain this suction and stability. However, this fit can deteriorate over time due to bone loss.
As bone loss occurs, the tissues and contours of your mouth change. When the bony tissue that supports your denture deteriorates, you may notice changes in how your dentures feel and function. The denture may become loose, leading to embarrassing “slip-ups” while laughing, smiling, or speaking. You may find it difficult or painful to chew food. Additionally, the denture may rub against the inside of your mouth, causing painful sores and irritation.
Furthermore, losing the tissues that support your facial structure can make your face appear less firm and youthful.
What causes bone loss?
When people think about tooth loss, they often focus on the obvious issue: the embarrassing gaps in their smiles. However, they may not realize the serious complications of tooth loss, particularly bone loss, a process known as “bone resorption.” Just as muscles need exercise, bones also require stimulation to remain strong and healthy. For the jawbone, this stimulation occurs through chewing, biting, and grinding food with teeth. The pressure from these actions is transferred from the teeth to their roots in the jawbone, helping to maintain its density and strength.
When teeth are lost, these stimulating activities stop, and the jawbone begins to weaken. As a result, the bone undergoes resorption, where it is broken down and its minerals are reabsorbed by the body. Traditional dentures do not prevent this bone loss; they can even accelerate the process.
How can I keep my dentures fitting well?
The only way to ensure traditional removable dentures continue to fit well is to get your appliance regularly adjusted and/or repaired. As the tissues in your mouth evolve, the inside of the denture must be relined to help it better conform to your gums. Eventually, the entire denture base will need to be replaced. When the denture teeth also fail, a new denture is made. With implants, the denture you receive can be the one that you keep for life. There is no need to adjust or replace the denture, because its fit can be retained due to the distinctive design of this form of tooth replacement.
What makes implant dentures so different from other dentures?
The implant stabilizes the denture in the jawbone. It is made from special materials that naturally integrate with the surrounding jawbone. After this process of osseointegration is complete, we can “anchor” a partial denture or full denture in the jawbone. The strength and quality of the bone are retained because it gets stimulation from the denture teeth. The pressure and force from chewing food and other functions are transferred to the implant, which is secured in the jawbone and effectively becomes a part of it. This process protects against bone loss and its many cosmetic and functional complications.
Let’s talk if you are concerned about or tired of dealing with uncomfortable and loose dentures! Serving the greater Paradise Valley, Glendale, Peoria, and Mesa, AZ area, our team in Scottsdale can be reached at (602) 932-6297 today.
At Desert Ridge Periodontics, patients benefit from the expertise of Dr. Dan Indech, DDS, a board-certified periodontist with more than 30 years of experience in periodontal care, dental implants, and laser surgery. Trained at leading institutions in Canada, the U.S., and Sweden, he has placed over 10,000 implants and is nationally recognized for his work in Implantology and LANAP® laser periodontal therapy.
Dr. Indech and the team deliver compassionate, evidence-based periodontal and implant care focused on long-term oral health and personalized treatment.
