Loose dentures are a common complaint amongst patients, especially in the lower jaw and especially when there are no natural teeth available for the denture to clip onto.

There are many reasons why denture instability can occur. One of the most common reasons is due to changes in the jaw following natural tooth removal.

After natural teeth are removed form the jaw, the gum and jaw bone that supported the teeth gradually shrink away over a period of several years. Patients who have had all of the teeth missing for some time often find themselves in a position where there is simply not enough gum and jaw bone available to secure a set of conventional removable dentures properly.

One way of potentially correcting this is to secure new artificial tooth roots (ie: titanium implants) into the jaw that can be used to ‘clip’ into the denture (in much the same way that press-studs on a shirt clip together)

It is not necessary to have an implant placement for each missing tooth. Often as few as two implants can be used to help stabilise an entire set of removable dentures.

Placement of the dental implants is a relatively simple procedure that can be carried out in the dental chair, or in a hospital environment depending on individual patients requirements.

Some patients often worry that they will not have enough bone to support a dental implant. Rarely is this the case. Complete lower dentures can be secured with implants in as little as 10mm of bone height, and rarely do patients present with less bone than this.

Many patients express concerns that they may require ‘bone grafts’ to facilitate implant placement. This is true in some cases, but with improved implant and bone augmentation technology, bone grafting is not required as often as it may perhaps have been in the past.

When required, bone grafting can be carried out by the relevant dental specialist often using bone harvested from sites adjacent to the area where the implants to be positioned. It is less and less common now for bone to be harvested from sites away from the mouth, such as the hip.

Contrary to what some patients believe, patients suffering from osteoporosis are still able to be treated using dental implants, so long as other important aspects of the medical history are clear.

Medical and dental conditions such as diabetes, uncontrolled gum disease (periodontitis), bleeding disorders or patients with a history of head or neck radiotherapy or heavy smoking may possible not be suitable for implant treatment depending on the severity of their condition.

To stabiles an existing set of lower dentures could be expected to cost approximately $5000-$6000 depending on an individual’s case. Sometimes there are fees involved in fabricating a new denture too, if required. Many health insurers will rebate some of the fees involved with this treatment.

Treatment time varies, but in general there is usually a three month healing period that occurs between the time of implant placement and the time of connection to the denture.

Contrary to what some believe, it is not necessary to go ‘without teeth’ while the implants are healing. It is advisable however, to restrict the use of dentures where possible and avoid loading or disturbing the implants while they are healing.

It is also possible to secure a set of fixed dentures, non-removable dentures to the jaw. Often this requires placement of more implants and some additional expense.

Your dental team will be able to answer any questions you may have about these treatment options.