Implant-Secured Dentures

Missing Teeth and Reduced Quality of Life

Missing teeth often negatively affect a patient’s wellbeing. In addition to feeling self-conscious and embarrassed about your smile, missing teeth may affect your overall health. Three ways missing dentition can impact quality of life include:

1. Misalignment and gaps due to missing teeth can make chewing difficult, preventing patients from eating certain foods. The inability to chew properly also means the stomach must work harder to digest your meals, causing the body to absorb fewer nutrients.

2. Missing teeth cause your remaining teeth to experience more stress and strain, increasing the chances of cracked or chipped teeth. Over time, patients may also experience further tooth loss.

3. Missing teeth can negatively impact your social life. As patients begin to feel more uncomfortable with their appearance, they may avoid social situations and interactions with friends and family. This may lead to patients feeling isolated, and potentially, depressed.

What to Expect from the Implant Dentures Procedure

Dental implants allow your Park Ridge dentists to secure a full or partial set of permanent dentures. Patients no longer need to endure messy adhesives or worry about embarrassing slippage when eating or speaking. Implant dentures can return your smile to full function and appearance. In order to place your implant dentures, your Park Ridge dentist will:

1. Take impressions and molds of your oral structures will be taken and your jaw will be prepared for the procedure.
2. Place between two and eight titanium implant posts into the jaw.
3. Allow enough time for the area to heal and the bone tissue to bond with the posts.
4. Based on the impressions and molds, a custom-made set of natural looking dentures will be created.
5. When your dentures are completed, the fit will be tested for accuracy and comfort.
6. Finally, your dentures will be permanently affixed, restoring your smile.

Locator Overdenture: Snap-In Implant Dentures in Park Ridge

Dr. Loukas specializes in locator overdentures, a revolutionary implant-supported denture system that provides exceptional retention and stability. Unlike traditional dentures that rely on adhesives, locator overdentures snap securely onto dental implants using custom locator abutments.

Watch: Locator Overdenture with Custom Abutments

In this procedure, Dr. Loukas placed four custom locator abutments on the upper arch and two on the lower arch to secure the patient’s denture. The locator system creates a strong snap-in connection that provides outstanding retention, so strong that patients can eat an apple with confidence using the upper denture alone.

Benefits of Locator Overdentures

• Superior retention: The snap-in mechanism holds dentures firmly in place during eating, speaking, and daily activities
• Convertible: Dr. Loukas can convert any existing denture into a locator overdenture that snaps onto implants
• Removable for cleaning: Unlike fixed implant bridges, locator overdentures can be removed for easy cleaning and maintenance
• Fewer implants needed: Only 2 to 4 implants per arch are required, making it a more affordable implant solution
• Immediate improvement: Patients experience a dramatic improvement in denture stability and comfort

Can My Existing Denture Be Converted?

Yes. If you currently wear a traditional denture and are frustrated with slipping, clicking, or the need for adhesives, Dr. Loukas can evaluate your denture and jaw bone to determine if it can be converted into a locator overdenture. In many cases, your existing denture can be retrofitted with locator attachments after implant placement, saving you the cost of a completely new prosthetic.

Schedule a free consultation to learn if locator overdentures are right for you. Call (847) 696-1919 or visit us at 714 N Higgins Rd, Park Ridge, IL 60068.