Implant-supported Overdentures

The main goal of replacing missing teeth is to restore both aesthetics and function. An implant-supported overdenture is a truly great solution for edentulous patients, providing a more retentive and stable replacement for their missing teeth than a standard removable denture. 

Traditional dentures are removable, unstable, and rocking inside the mouth, while overdentures, which is also a type of denture, are stable in the mouth by overdenture locators installed on the remaining teeth or dental implants. 

What is an overdenture?

An overdenture is a removable denture used to restore multiple missing teeth. With the added advantage of greater stability and retention compared to traditional dentures. They used remaining teeth or dental implants to support the dentures.

Types of Snap-in dentures

It’s available in different forms:

In addition to using natural remaining teeth/implants for support, dentists use a mechanical device for more retention and stabilization of dentures. 

They are available in different types, such as stud, magnetic, or bar attachments. Our experienced dentist chooses the most suitable type exclusively for your case for the best results. 

Benefits and risks of snap-in dentures

Like everything, snap-on dentures have both benefits and risks.

Merits of snap-on dentures 

1. Maintenance of remaining teeth: unlike long-span dental bridges, we keep the remaining sound teeth intact without invasive tooth preparation.
2. Stability and support: The presence of teeth/implants in the jaw as anchors prevents denture movement toward the ridge and lateral movement while chewing. Providing better stability and support, and less trauma to the soft tissue of the gingiva.
3. More Retention than standard dentures: Through using remaining teeth or implants in combination with means of attachment, like bar, ball overdenture attachment. All of these means of support increase denture retention on the implants or remaining teeth abutments. 
4. Bone preservation: Snap-on dentures supported with natural teeth/implants can help prevent bone loss. By a strategic distribution of force, decreasing the pressure on the jawbone that causes bone loss.
5. Proprioceptive response preservation: The presence of teeth or implants in the jawbone can preserve proprioceptive response sensors, helping patients to sense and regulate biting force. Preventing excessive pressure and maintaining chewing force. 
6. Superior function (chewing and biting force): having dental implants as retentive anchors for the overdenture provides the closest experience to real teeth through increasing chewing efficiency and bite forces.
7. Psychology benefits: being edentulous is not psychologically accepted. Preservation of remaining teeth is a big deal for patients. 
8. Improvement of quality of life: Snap-on dentures don't move or dislodge during speaking, chewing, or eating. Increasing the patient's confidence to live allows him to carry out all his social activities normally.
9. Convertibility: dental labs can easily convert a partial overdenture to a complete one, and a tooth-supported overdenture to an implant-supported overdenture after teeth extraction and dental implant placements. And also, converting a traditional removable denture to an overdenture by adding attachment housings into the denture base.

Disadvantages of Overdentures 

On the other hand, risks include the following: 

1. Expensive: an implant-supported overdenture is more expensive than traditional ones. As usual, they combined with other treatments such as implants or preparation of the remaining teeth.
2. Caries susceptibility or periodontal disease may occur on remaining teeth or inflammation around implants due to bad oral hygiene. 
3. Removable prostheses: despite being dental-implant-supported overdentures, they are a retentive prostheses, but they are a removable one. They need to be taken off for cleaning and before sleeping. 
4. Not fit for all patients: they require special requirements like having good bone density, remaining teeth with healthy periodontal and gingival tissue, and an adequate interarch space between the upper and lower jaw as mandatory factors.
5. Need excellent Maintenance: need frequent dental checkups and maintenance, and meticulous oral hygiene.

Difference between overdenture and hybrid dentures

While overdentures and hybrid dentures are both for replacing multiple missing teeth, they differ in some points, such as: 

1. Number of implants used: implant-supported overdentures are commonly stabilized on 2 to 4 implants for support. Hybrid dentures use 4, 6, or 8 implants distributed through the jawbone, like All-on-4 dental implants.
2. Fixed or removable: overdentures are supported by implants but easily removed by patients before sleeping for cleaning. On the other hand, the hybrid one is fixed and can't be removed except by the dentist, for a more comfortable and natural-like experience.
3. Denture attachment types: overdentures engage with implants through various attachment systems such as ball, bar, or magnetic attachments. Allowing easy removal and insertion. In contrast, hybrid dentures are screw-retained into the implants and cannot be removed by patients. 
4. Denture and teeth material: snap-on dentures are made from PMMA acrylic with prefabricated artificial acrylic teeth, or hybrid ceramic/glass materials for a more esthetic restoration. The hybrid dentures require a much stronger foundation, consisting of a CAD/CAM-milled Titanium metal framework covered with acrylic teeth, or porcelain/ zirconia teeth.  
5. Palatal coverage: implant-supported overdentures usually cover the palatal surface, while the hybrid dentures only cover the ridge, which feels more natural. 
6. Dental care Maintenance: Overdentures need to be removed and cleaned every day; on the contrary, hybrid dentures are treated with natural teeth care. 

How to take care of an overdenture?

The lifespan of implant overdentures depends primarily on various factors such as the quality of the dental procedure itself, the patient's maintenance, and their adherence to post-fitting instructions. 

This is what we offer at Suave Dental Clinic: a premium quality treatment. Also, great attention is paid to giving the patient the necessary instructions to maintain the dentures. which include the following: 

• Take out before bed for cleaning every day so that the tissues can rest.
• Rinse the overdentures with normal water before brushing. 
• Using a soft-bristle toothbrush with non-abrasive toothpaste, gently clean the snap-on dentures. 
• Cleaning soft tissue, including gums, tongue, and cheeks, to remove any debris. Decreasing the risk of bad breath.
• Routine dental checkup, even without any complaints 

How long do implant overdentures last?

Taking into account the factors above and according to clinical studies, implants themselves can be a lifelong dental treatment, while a denture itself lasts between 5 and 15 years, with the prosthetic component (attachments) often needing maintenance every 3-5 years, and replacement or relining every 7-10 years due to wear during daily use.

Implant-retained overdenture cost in Turkey

The implant-retained overdenture cost in Turkey is reasonable. Cost can be changeable according to multiple factors and differ from one case to another. Here are the Influencing factors: 

1. Dental material used for teeth and denture fabrication, whether they are titanium-reinforced PMMA, PEEK denture base, reinforced composite, hybrid glass-ceramic, or monolithic zirconia.
2. Dental implant types, number 
3. If you need extra dental procedures like bone graft and membrane, root canal treatment, or teeth extraction.
4. Clinic position and dentists' experts.

Considering these variables, the estimated cost ranges from $3000 to $7000 for a single jaw.  

FAQs

Snap-in overdenture FAQs

Are overdentures worth the money?

Yes, Overdentures are worth the money, as they provide a close-to-real-teeth experience when a patient can’t afford a fixed denture on All-on-4/6 dental implants, and also is miserable with his removable denture.

Can an overdenture fit over existing teeth?

Yes, it can fit over existing teeth. Provided that the existing teeth are in healthy conditions (root and periodontal ligaments), in what is known as tooth supported overdenture.

Can I eat with an overdenture?

Yes, a dental implant overdenture provides stronger retention; it isn't easily moved from its place. Offering a semi-natural eating experience like natural teeth. 

Can I get an overdenture with bone loss?

Yes, but within limits. While bone loss is a common challenge. Recently, the dentist could replace different degrees of bone loss with artificial bone grafts or use mini-implants for snap-on dentures.

Can I sleep with overdentures?

No, it should be taken off when sleeping to allow tissue relief and also for cleaning.