Snap-on Denture Treatment Process

What are snap-on implant retained dentures?

Unlike conventional dentures, which can potentially slip out of place, snap-on implant retained dentures are more stable and versatile.

Dental implants or screws placed within your jawbone hold snap-on implant retained dentures in place. Typically, two to four implants are used in each jaw, although depending on the need and your budget, you may have as many as 10 inserted.

Once the implants are in your jaw, an implant-retained or implant-supported denture (also sometimes referred to as an overdenture) can be set in place.

Snap-on dentures treatment process

1. Initial consultation and X-Ray or CT scan. The dentist will assess the overall condition of your mouth and jaw and take a CT scan. If you decide that All-on-4 is right for you, the dentist will take impressions of your mouth. These will then be sent to the lab for the creation of customised prostheses - the jaw and tooth sections or bridges that will be attached to the implants.
2. Anaesthesia and extraction (if needed). When you attend the surgery to have your implants fitted, the dentist will give you an anaesthetic so that the entire process is painless. If teeth need to be extracted, this can normally be done at the same time. Your mouth is then thoroughly cleaned to remove bacteria and damaged tissue.
3. Making the mould. Once the teeth have been prepared, the dentist will then make a mould in order to construct the veneers that specially fit your teeth. The mould will then be sent to the laboratory. The lab will use the mould to produce exact replicas of the damaged teeth.
4. Placing the implants. (Only for snap-on implant retained dentures) The surgery time depends on the number of implants needed and the overall health of the patient's mouth. The procedure occurs under local anesthesia and is the same regardless of how many implants are necessary.
5. Placing the dentures. The denture is placed into the jawbone and the gums are stitched closed over the implant.

Why choose acrylic dentures?

Benefits:

• Snap-on implant retained dentures are more stable and comfortable than conventional dentures, which are made to be removable daily.
• They are less likely to become loose while speaking than removable dentures.
• Unlike conventional dentures, which can potentially slip out of place, snap-on implant retained dentures are more stable and versatile than conventional dentures.
• Many people consider snap-on implant retained dentures to be more natural looking than conventional dentures.
• The jawbone is preserved and further bone loss is prevented with snap-in dentures.

Drawbacks:

• Less durable and will need to be replaced every 5-8 years.
• A full palate base is needed for upper set dentures which can cause gagging and affect the taste and experience of food.
• Are usually bulkier than Full-arch dental implants and All-on-4 implants and can therefore sometimes be less comfortable.