Frequently Asked Questions

An upper implant denture requires at least 4 implants. A lower implant denture requires at least 2 implants. The more implants you have, the more stable your denture will generally be. This is especially true with the lower denture. Three or 4 implants in the lower is usually much better than 2.

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In many cases, yes! We’ll just need to see you for a free consultation, during which we will do a 3D CBCT scan of your jaw to see if you have enough bone for dental implants.

No, we must allow time for your implants to integrate with your bone. This is what makes your implants truly stable and will help ensure you enjoy many years or decades of use out of them. We typically wait between 4 and 6 months before attaching to your implants.

While experiences will vary, you should expect some discomfort and possibly swelling after your procedure. Many patients come in the next day for their post op appointment reporting very little discomfort. You will be prescribed pain medication to help alleviate any discomfort.

We do not currently put patients to sleep, however, we do offer oral conscious sedation. This medication will help to relax you and often makes it so you don’t even remember your procedure. For this, we write you a prescription, and you can pick it up at your pharmacy of choice. NOTE: You MUST have a driver for this procedure, someone who can drive you after you have taken your oral sedation pill(s). You MUST NOT operate a motor vehicle or any machinery after taking your medication.

Yes! They are much more secure than dentures alone, and we are able to increase the retention with stronger inserts if you prefer.

It depends. Ideally, we would need to spread the dental implants out to be able to remove a portion of the palate in a snap-in denture. With our All-On-4 procedure, we can guarantee the ability to remove the palate, but that’s not always the case with snap-in dentures.

When we are able to remove the palate, this increases the ability to taste for many patients, and also increases hot and cold sensitivity, making for a more natural experience. For those patients with a severe gag reflex, removing the palate of the denture can also help provide relief.

If you are a candidate for a palate-less denture, it will be removed from your final denture. This is after healing and osseointegration are complete and we are ready to attach to your implants (appromximately 4-6 months after placement of your implants).

Alveoplasty is a procedure where the doctor contours your jawbone. This procedure is important because it can significantly improve the fit and comfort of your dentures.

Tori are bony knots that develop in the mouth of many patients. They are not harmful, however, they can prevent your denture(s) from fitting comfortably, so your doctor will often recommend having them removed.

This is completely normal when you first have a prosthesis (denture) placed in your mouth. Your body senses it as a foreign object and is trying to “flush” it out. This increased salivation should subside within 2-3 days.

Significant bleeding will have stopped before you leave the clinic, however, expect to have some slight bleeding (oozing) for 1-3 days after the procedure. In addition, you will most likely notice increased salivation when we first put your denture(s) in. When this increased saliva mixes with a little blood, it can look like a lot of blood. If heavy bleeding continues, please call the office.

An old home remedy that still works really well to help clotting and stop bleeding is the use of tea bags. Just get a regular tea bag, get it damp, squeeze out the excess water, place it on your extraction site or sites, and the bags will help you clot. Multiple tea bags can be used if needed. Replace the tea bags if they get saturated with blood. This process can be repeated as many times as you need.

We do not currently offer this type of implant. While titanium implants have been around for decades with a long track record of success, zirconia implants are very new to the market, so we do not know what their success will be like long-term. We want the most successful, most predictable long-term results for our patients, and for these reasons, we do not offer zirconia implants at this time.

Yes, any prosthetic in the mouth will get some amount of food under it. The great thing about implant dentures is how easy they are to clean. Just take them out; clean the denture(s), your gums, and implants; and snap them back in.

Every patient is different. Some return to work the next day, others wait a week or two. Since there is always the chance of bruising and swelling, and you’ll need to get used to eating and speaking with your new teeth, the longer you can take off, the better.

A soft liner is a cushion we place inside your denture to help it fit and feel better as your mouth heals and changes shape following extractions.

No, this is not just a procedure for the elderly. It’s actually quite common for people in their 40s, 30s, even 20s to need to replace their teeth. Replacing bad teeth can be hugely beneficial to your overall physical health. Also, having teeth that allow you to confidently smile, laugh, and converse can be hugely beneficial to your emotional health. Again, needing to replace teeth early in life is not uncommon at all.

• Ice packs
• Wash cloths you don’t mind throwing away
• Comfortable clothes you don’t mind throwing away
• Soft foods such as:

          – soups

          – yogurt

          – cottage cheese

          – smoothies

          – protein shakes

          – eggs

          – mashed potatoes (gravy optional)

Just as you would need practice in order to get used to functioning with a prosthetic leg, it will require some practice and patience to get used to your new prosthetic teeth. With that being said, since they are attached with implants, your dentures will be much easier to get used to than regular dentures.

Again, this will take a little time, but with some patience and practice, your mouth and tongue will quickly adjust. S’s will be the toughest to pronounce. Practicing words like “Mississippi” and “sixty six” will help you get used to your new teeth. In some cases, patients may have a slight lisp long term with implant dentures.

Some patients may experience very slight rocking with their dentures. For patient who have 2 lower implants, these must be placed in the front of the jaw making it possible for some rocking to occur. A dab of adhesive at the back on each side of the lower denture will usually take care of this.

In this case, your best bet would be the All-On-4 procedure. Not all snap-in dentures can have the palate removed.

Yes. Having removable implant dentures makes cleaning them very convenient. Just take them out; clean the denture(s), your gums, and implants; and snap them back in.