implant overdentures Archives - Dr. Duane Delaune's Blog

I Can’t Keep My Denture In Any Longer

Posted on April 6, 2020 by writeradmin.

I have had dentures for over twenty years. Several years ago, they started becoming tricky to keep in. Now they are not staying in at all. What do I do?

Cary

Dear Cary,

The Results of Facial Collapse

When your teeth are removed, your body recognized that. Its job is to be as efficient as possible with your body’s resources. Because of that, once you no longer have any tooth roots, your body interprets that as no longer needing a jawbone to keep those roots in place. As a result, it will resorb the minerals in your jawbone to use elsewhere in your body. This has the result of slowly shrinking your jawbone. Hopefully, your dentist warned you about this before you decided on dentures instead of your other options.

Where you are in this process is known as facial collapse. You now no longer have enough jawbone left to retain your dentures. Unfortunately, just getting new dentures won’t help. You are going to have to have some bone grafting done to build that back up. Once that happens, you have two choices.

Your first choice is to get dentures again. Just bear in mind that you are going to go back through the cycle of losing your jawbone again. Your second choice is to get implant-supported dentures.

How Implant Supported Dentures Prevent Facial Collapse

Implant overdentures work by having four to six dental implants in your jaw and then anchor your dentures to the implants. Having the implants in your jaw serves as prosthetic roots. Your body interprets that as having teeth and leaves your jaw intact.

Not only that, you will find all the problems you had with removable dentures disappear. There is no more slipping. Additionally, you will find your chewing capacity goes up significantly. This is because even your best fitting dentures will reduce your chewing capacity by at least 50%. You’ll be so excited to be able to eat whatever you want again.

This blog is brought to you by New Orleans Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Duane Delaune.

medical insurance & dental implants

Posted on January 14, 2020 by writeradmin.

I had to remove all my upper teeth due to extensive gum disease and decay. I’ve gotten the gum disease back under control, though it cost me a small fortune. I’ve been trying traditional dentures, but that dental plate has made things impossible for me. I have too strong a gag reflex to even keep it in. This has made eating almost impossible. I’ve already lost ten pounds and I’m not a big woman to begin with. My dentist suggested I get implant dentures. Is it possible to get medical insurance to pay for this because I can’t eat? I would think that would count as a health issue. My dentist didn’t think it would.

Beth

Dear Beth,

upper implant overdentures — Implant overdentures

Implant overdentures will be a great solution for someone in your position. The extra hardware in your mouth which comes along with traditional dentures is a problem for most people.

Using dental implants to support them, not only makes them more secure, it also removes all the extra material over your palette which causes so many gagging problems. Not to mention the food that can get under there.

Medical Insurance for Dental Implants

Unfortunately, your dentist was right. It is highly unlikely medical insurance with cover you getting the dental implants you need. This is a shame because it does have a negative impact on your health when you can’t eat and get the nutrition you need.

Most medical insurance comes with a dental exclusion clause. There is sometimes an exception where if you had a car accident and lost your teeth. Then, it COULD be covered through the medical portion of your car insurance.

Affording Dental Implants

There are a few ways to make this more affordable. First, you should know you don’t have to pay for the entire procedure at once. Instead, you pay for the implant portion before that is done. Then there is a period of healing, which also allows for osseointegration. When that is completed, it is time for the denture portion. That is when you’ll pay for the second half.

Even then, things can be broken up for you. Many dentists work with a company called “Care Credit“. This is a medical credit card of sorts which will pay for your procedure and then allow you to pay them back.

The interest is much lower than traditional credit cards. If you have good credit, you can even get a zero-interest payment plan. I would talk to your dentist. Their business office can usually find options for you.

If they’re not willing to show you options, then this isn’t the best dentist for you. Find a better dentist. One who is more compassionate.

This blog is brought to you by New Orleans Dentist Dr. Duane Delaune.

why won’t my dentist do all-on-4 dental implants?

Posted on November 10, 2019 by writeradmin.

I want to get dental implants but have lost some bone. My dentist says I need to have bone grafting done before I get the implants. I read that you can do all-on-4 without bone grafting. When I asked him about it he said that isn’t a good fit for me. Why not? Because the other way means an extra procedure and extra money for him? Should I go to another dentist who will do it?

Adam

Dear Adam,

illustration of the position for all-on-4 dental implants — All-on-Four Dental Implants

I wouldn’t necessarily assume that your dentist is opposed to the all-on-4 dental implants because he wants to make more money. There can be a few reasons.

First, all-on-four dental implants procedure requires additional training as it is done differently than traditional dental implants or implant overdentures. It may be that your dentist simply doesn’t do that procedure. Not all implant dentists do.

A second possibility he is saying no could simply be that you’re not a good candidate. While it was developed to help patients with less bone still get dental implants, it really will depend on how much bone you’ve lost. Maybe your dentist said it won’t work for you because you’ve lost too much bone for this to be a viable procedure.

The first thing I would do is simply as him why he says it won’t work for you. If you are not satisfied with the answer, then getting a second opinion would be a good idea.

Options to All-on-4 Dental Implants

Before making any decision, you should know all the facts. While there have been improvements doing all-on-4, you should be aware if one part of the procedure fails or is damaged, you’ll have to replace the whole unit.

If you are not a candidate or decide you want to go with something else, then implant overdentures will be a great option. Though, as your dentist mentioned, it will require some bone grafting. The good news is this is an outpatient procedure

Getting a Smile You’re Proud to Share

This is your chance to not just get functional teeth, but an attractive smile. The way to do that is to be certain the dentist who does your procedure is not just a trained implant dentist, but is also a skilled cosmetic dentist.

To find one, I suggest you look on the mynewsmile.com. They screen dentists who wish to be listed for both their technical training as well as their artistry. Any dentist they list will be able to create a stunning smile for you.

This blog is brought to you by New Orleans Dentist Dr. Duane Delaune.