When you are missing most or all of your teeth, dentures are the replacement option of choice. Dental technology has allowed for the development of many different options to replace your natural teeth. With snap-on dentures, the artificial teeth are held into place with dental implants that snap into holes inside of the denture. You put the snap-on dentures in your mouth when you wake up and take them out to clean them before you go to bed. Understanding how these snap-on or implant-supported dentures are made could help you to make an informed decision about your dental care.
Initial Steps:
The first step to having snap-on dentures made is to make an appointment at Acadia to have preliminary impressions taken. The impressions are made in a rubber like material and are then brought back to our in house dental lab. Dr. Baqai will determine if a CT scan which x-rays your entire jaw and skull will be needed immediately or at a later date. This image provides highly detailed information so the Dr. can begin planning the placement of implants and which implant system would work best for your individual situation.
Receive Dental Implants
If you need extractions before implants, at the time of extraction we will treat the socket to prepare it for implant placement. After that we will wait about 3-6 months before your gum is healed adequately for the implant surgery. If you are just looking for a solution to missing teeth we are able to place the implants immediately after the initial steps.
Placement of the Snap-on Dentures
The placement of the permanent snap-on dentures will take place two to four months after the surgery to expose the tops of the implants. This gives your gum tissue time to heal. By this time, your customized dentures are ready for you. Every three to five years, your snap-on dentures may need to be relined. This is because your gum tissue and jaw bone structure may change slightly. Snap-on dentures may also need to have their fasteners replaced. This is a minor repair and only takes a couple of hours.
