Implant-supported-full-arch-bridge is a minimally invasive method of placing a fixed bridge, replacing all the missing teeth in an upper or lower jaw, only using four to six implants to support the full arch. The placement of the implants is typically completed it in our office during one appointment under local anesthesia. This final product feels and looks absolutely real! Your new teeth should be hard to tell from natural – both for you and others. People who have had traditional dentures before getting a fixed bridge often describe this as an overwhelming and very positive experience. The bite force of implant-supported-bridges is up to 70% stronger when compared to traditional dentures – – you can now eat the foods you love! Implant-supported-bridges are not removable, and they don’t cover the roof of the mouth.
Placing a dental implant is a relatively quick, minimally invasive procedure. Patients undergo a comprehensive evaluation by Dr.’s Woo and Ardalan. Three dimensional scans of the jaw bone and X-rays are consulted. A full treatment plan is developed. The first step is installing between 4-6 dental implants to replace the lost tooth roots. A typical healing phase for integration of dental implants to the jaw bone is between three to four months. During this phase your body produces bone which consolidates around the new dental implants. At the completion of this phase, the implant are ready to support a full arch bridge.
IMPLANT-SUPPORTED-REMOVABLE-DENTURE (SNAP-ON DENTURE)
An alternative to an implant-supported-fixed-bridge is a removable complete or partial over-denture (also known as Snap-on Dentures). This appliance is a removable denture (complete or partial) that is connected to either a ball or a bar attachment, which in turn is anchored on two or more implants in the front part of the jaw.
The implants help keep the denture in place and provide excellent function and comfort. Cost is one reason many patients opt for this solution over a fixed bridge. In other instances, the natural biological shrinkage processes of the jaw bone may have rendered most sites within the jaw bone unsuitable for implant placement without extensive bone grafting procedures. In our view the functionality of the two options are comparable. Since Implant-supported-removable-dentures can be removed by the patient, we have noted that most patients have no trouble at all in maintaining an excellent oral hygiene. Proper oral hygiene is absolutely crucial to long term maintenance of the implants and the restorations they support.
The fabrication process of implant-supported-removable-dentures is essentially (or for most part) similar to those of implant-supported-fixed-bridges, although the number of implants installed and the laboratory fabrication steps and material involved are somewhat different.