Implant-Supported Dentures

What Is an Implant-Supported Denture?

An implant-supported denture, sometimes called an overdenture, is a full denture that clips onto dental implants instead of resting on the gums. Typically two to four implants per arch carry attachments that lock the denture firmly in place, and the denture is removed for cleaning.

The Difference in Daily Use

The change most patients notice first is that the denture stops moving. It does not lift when you laugh or slide when you chew, adhesive is generally unnecessary, and harder foods become realistic again. A lower denture — the one that is hardest to keep stable conventionally — benefits most.

Because the implants transfer chewing force into the bone, they also help slow the ridge shrinkage that makes conventional dentures loosen over the years.

Fixed or Removable

An overdenture unclips for cleaning; a fixed full-arch bridge stays in permanently and is cleaned in place. Which suits you depends on bone volume, how much lip support the denture needs to provide, your cleaning routine and your budget — an examination and 3D scan will show which options are realistic.