Implant Dentures in Syracuse, NY

Out of all New York State residents aged 65 and older, about 17% have lost all their teeth. Severe tooth loss like this causes individuals to experience drastic changes in their oral health and quality of life. For many years, dentures were the only solution for complete tooth loss (also called edentulism). While these well-established solutions were effective for a period, superior options have emerged due to advancements in dental technology and materials. Thanks to the innovation of mini dental implants, the placement of implant dentures provides our patients with a more stable, durable, and natural-looking tooth replacement option that doesn’t break the bank.

What Are Implant Dentures?

Implant dentures are a set of replacement teeth that are anchored into your jawbone using mini dental implants. They come in removable, semi-removable, and non-removable options and can replace an entire upper or lower arch of teeth.

Connecting to the jawbone through the mini implants, they provide a far more stable and natural-feeling solution than traditional dentures, which merely rest atop the gums. This increased stability brings with it more chewing and biting power, so you can enjoy all your favorite foods again. There are no messy adhesives or constant adjustments to worry about. Instead, you’ll have a brand-new smile that won’t slip or slide.

Implant dentures don’t just make your smile look great, they offer long-term oral health benefits as well. Traditional dentures only replace the missing teeth, not the missing roots. One function of tooth roots is to hold the tooth in place, but they also stimulate the jawbone to encourage the proper growth and maintenance of the surrounding tissue.

The mini dental implants used in implant dentures serve as prosthetic roots, preventing your jawbone and facial tissue from deteriorating. This helps maintain your jawbone health as well as your facial appearance.

Compared to traditional options, implant dentures offer better functionality and health benefits while looking and feeling more natural.

Types of Implant Dentures

There are a variety of implant denture options available. At your free consultation, we will help you determine which option corresponds best with your needs, preferences, and budget.

Overdentures

Implant Dentures in Syracuse, NYSometimes referred to as snap-on dentures or implant-retained dentures, this option is removable at home for cleaning. The false teeth snap onto 4-8 mini implants, allowing for improved stability with easy removability when needed.

Implant overdentures use similar materials to traditional dentures. However, because the mini dental implants enhance stability, less pink artificial gum material is needed. This construction improves comfort and allows you to enjoy your favorite foods fully. In some cases, we can convert an existing pair of traditional dentures into overdentures.

Semi-Removable Roundhouse Bridge

This option is sometimes referred to as the Fix-on-Six® system. It’s an alternative to the All-on-4® technique that uses large conventional implants.

A roundhouse bridge is a set of artificial teeth in a horseshoe shape. Just like other denture types, they replace an entire upper or lower set of teeth. This bridge provides more stability, thanks to 6-10 mini implants used as anchors. It is also semi-removable, which means you’ll never need to remove it. Instead, Dr. Bradford will remove the prosthetic at your regular check-ups for professional cleaning and maintenance.

Non-Removable Roundhouse Bridge

This option is the most stable and durable, looking and feeling nearly identical to natural teeth. These permanent roundhouse bridges are cemented onto 10-12 mini dental implants, providing unparalleled security and functionality. Because they are not removable, you will care for them just as you’d care for natural teeth.

Understanding Mini Dental Implants

Mini dental implants are responsible for the improved effectiveness of all three implant denture options. These implants measure less than half the size of the larger conventional dental implants. Their toothpick-sized width allows them to be more widely used, and they are especially helpful for patients who have already lost some jawbone volume.

However, smaller does not mean less powerful—mini implants are made from medical-grade titanium that fuses quickly with the jawbone, giving them incredible strength and stability for their size. Plus, their single-piece design is more hygienic than the two-piece construction of conventional implants because it doesn’t give bacteria space to accumulate.

As a result of their size and design, mini dental implants offer additional benefits, including:

  • Minimally invasive procedure: Mini implants don’t need incisions, sutures, or bone grafts to be placed; they just require a tiny pilot hole. This makes the entire process much more efficient and comfortable.
  • Same-day results: Because the placement procedure is simple and the implants are immediately secure, dentures can typically be attached to the implants on the same day they’re placed. You can walk into the office for your placement and walk out ready to use your new teeth.
  • Fast, easy recovery: Most patients who get mini dental implants report only a headache level of soreness that subsides in 24-48 hours. And, while conventional dental implants can take up to a year to fully heal, complete recovery from mini dental implant placement takes about three weeks.
  • More affordable: The entire process for mini implants takes much less time and requires fewer appointments than conventional dental implants, so you can expect to save money. In most cases, mini dental implants cut costs in half!

Due to advancements in implant technology, a procedure that once took considerable time can now be completed much more efficiently.

Get Your Implant Dentures Today

If you’ve been holding back your smile, feeling self-conscious while speaking, or becoming frustrated because you can’t eat your favorite foods, it’s time to consider superior tooth replacement options. Implant dentures provide a strong, secure, and cost-effective way to replace missing teeth and restore the quality of life you remember.

Contact us today and schedule a free consultation with Dr. Bradford. With implant dentures anchored by mini dental implants, you can quickly restore your smile’s look and your mouth’s function.

Frequently Asked Questions

While it is possible to convert a pair of traditional dentures into overdentures, it takes a specific set of circumstances. The issue is that a conventional denture is not designed with implants in mind, so there may not be enough space in that denture for the implant housing.

If you have existing dentures, please bring them with you to your free consultation. Dr. Bradford will examine their quality and let you know if they can be retrofitted to snap onto the mini implants.

How long it takes to complete the implant denture process will depend on whether we create a new denture for you. The process of creating a denture, from planning and impressions to production and delivery, takes anywhere from 6-9 weeks.

However, once we have your prosthetic, Dr. Bradford can place the implants and attach the denture during the same visit.

There are many variables that can affect the price of implant dentures. The type of denture and the number of implants are two of the main considerations that contribute to the final cost.

One of our goals is to make affordable dental care available to everyone. That’s why, when you come in for your free consultation, we’ll go over your insurance plan to determine exactly what your policy covers. If you need financing help, we can do a soft credit check. This won’t impact your credit score but will allow you to get the best rates from our financing partners. With a variety of flexible financing plans, you can conveniently cover the cost of your treatment through manageable monthly installments.

One of the advantages of mini dental implants is their minimally invasive placement process. There are no incisions required, just a small pilot hole. We’ll use local anesthetic so that you won’t feel a thing.

Afterward, patients typically experience minimal discomfort, which can be alleviated with over-the-counter pain medication and cold compresses. Most individuals can expect to return to normal within 48 hours.