Benefits of using Dental Implants to Stabilise Dentures


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There are many causes for tooth loss that can ultimately lead to a need for artificial teeth, and in this article we look at how teeth can be lost, and why dental implants may be used to offer a long lasting and stable prosthesis with many substantial benefits.

Tooth loss

Our teeth are only the visible component of what is a complex structure involving their roots and the underlying jawbone, as well as a myriad of blood vessels and nerve endings. Surrounding our teeth are our gums, and beyond those are the jawbone and tongue. All of these structures need to be maintained and kept healthy to preserve what is called the oral cavity or oral space. Infection or damage to one of these components can affect others, and if left untreated, can ultimately result in conditions as severe as tooth loss.


The major causes of tooth loss, asides from the perfectly natural loss of baby teeth that occurs as a child grows and matures, are usually injury or trauma, decay, or gum disease.

Injury to a tooth, its roots, or the jawbone can result in the loss of a tooth, and in many cases this form of tooth loss is not preventable in the strictest sense. Tooth loss due to decay on the other hand, is usually a consequence of poor oral hygiene, and is preventable with regular dental care.

Tooth decay is also known as dental caries, and stems from a bacterial infection which causes the gradual breakdown of the hard substances that make up a tooth. The bacteria themselves are not directly responsible for this breakdown, instead, the processes by which they digest their food produces acids which can wear away even the hardiest of teeth.

Along the same lines as dental caries, gum disease is another major cause of tooth loss. Gum disease is also usually caused by bacterial infections which cause an inflammation of the gums and, if left untreated, progressively worsening symptoms that culminate in the loss of a tooth. In its early stages, gum disease is most often referred to as gingivitis, but as the condition progresses it becomes referred to as periodontal disease.

All of these conditions and causes culminate in the same thing: tooth loss, which in many cases will require replacement with some form of artificial teeth. If a person has many missing teeth, they will often struggle to eat as they normally would, and can also find themselves vulnerable to further infection through damage to the sensitive tissue where their teeth once were.

Implants to replace missing teeth

Ultimately if lost teeth leave you in a position where you need replacement artificial teeth, one of the options that will probably be available to you is that of dental implants. These are structures which stabilise replacement teeth like crowns and dentures, conferring many benefits.

Classic dentures, be they full or partial, do carry with them some restrictions. Because these prosthetics are not stabilised, they often slide in and out of the mouth, restricting a person’s dietary options to foods that won’t aggravate their dentures. Moreover this instability can agitate the gums beneath the denture, causing notable discomfort.

Dentures affixed to implants allow for greater biting strength and a more natural chewing motion, and what that ultimately translates into is access to more foods. There are other benefits of course, including the fact that through implants the jawbone is strengthened.

Dentures affixed to implants will probably not need regular removal and maintenance, a major bonus when compared to fixed or partial dentures which may need removal and cleaning after every meal and before bed.

Dental implants are most often needed as a solution to lost teeth, and offer access to artificial teeth which are far closer to their natural counterparts in how they are maintained and used.

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