If you or someone you know has worn dentures for a while, then you’re probably familiar with the value of restoring your ability to eat and speak properly. Unfortunately, you’re probably also aware of a frequent complaint among long-time denture wearers—the need for re-measurement and re-adjustment as dentures lose their firm grip over time.
A common misconception is that loose dentures are a result of excessive wear on the device itself. While that may be a contributing factor in some cases, the main reason actually involves a foundational problem that tends to occur after your teeth are uprooted. Fortunately, the problem of loose dentures can be resolved with a series of dental implants.
Why Dentures Become Loose
The roots of healthy teeth are embedded in your jawbone. When you bite and chew, the stimulated roots signal your body to send nutrients to the jaw that supports them. With every tooth lost, this stimulation diminishes, and so, too, does the supply of nutrients to your jawbone.
Dentures, which are custom-designed to fit the curvature of your gums, can lose the grip they were designed for as deterioration changes the shape of your jawbone, and loose dentures require routine adjustments and re-fittings as jawbone deterioration continues.
Stop Loose Dentures with Dental Implants
Instead of relying on dental adhesives and a gum-colored base to secure your dentures in place, you may be eligible for implant-supported dentures, which are attached to a series of surgically-inserted dental implants. Made from biocompatible titanium, implants are designed to facilitate osseointegration—the fusing of your jawbone to the manmade dental implant.
Once healed, your implants will effectively serve as prosthetic tooth roots that restore stimulation and provide a secure foundation to anchor your partial or full dentures. Dental implants are more secure than dental adhesive, and the restored stimulation can help prevent the jawbone deterioration that leads to loose dentures in the first place.
