Full-mouth treatment and denture questions

That is possible in some treatment plans, but removing every remaining tooth is irreversible and should follow a tooth-by-tooth prognosis. The comparison should include saving strategic teeth, removable dentures, implant overdentures and fixed implant restorations, plus what happens if an implant is lost.

Implants may remain integrated for many years, but the restoration, screws, attachments and hygiene needs are not maintenance-free. 'Permanent' may mean the patient does not remove the teeth, not that nothing will ever wear, loosen, chip or require replacement.

An implant overdenture is usually removable by the patient and uses implants for retention or support. A fixed full-arch restoration is removed only by a professional when needed. Cleaning access, repairability, lip support, anatomy and cost differ substantially.

Oral tissues and supporting bone change. Denture teeth and materials wear. Weight change, dry mouth, illness and bite changes can also affect fit. Relining, rebasing, repair or replacement may be needed after an examination.

Many people are advised to remove removable dentures for a period each day so tissues can rest and the appliance can be cleaned. Individual instructions may differ after surgery or for specific medical needs. Follow the treating clinician's plan.

Commonly separate items include extractions, imaging, sedation, grafting, temporary teeth, conversion procedures, final materials, hygiene devices, adjustments, repairs and future replacement. Ask for an itemized staged estimate and identify every exclusion.

Compare diagnoses, teeth being removed or retained, number and location of implants, fixed versus removable design, temporary and final stages, material, cleaning access, repair plan, provider responsibilities and total components. A lower headline price may describe a different product.

A conventional upper denture covers the palate, and many people report some reduction in taste and in the sensation of temperature and texture because of that coverage. It commonly improves as you adapt. Designs that reduce or remove palatal coverage exist, generally requiring implant support, and improved taste is one of the reasons people choose them. If this matters to you, raise it during planning instead of after the denture is made.

Both refit the fitting surface of a denture to a ridge that has changed shape, but they use different materials for different purposes. A soft reline uses a resilient material, often for comfort where tissue is tender or still healing. A hard reline uses a rigid material for a longer-term refit. Soft materials generally have a shorter service life. Ask which is being done, why that one, and how long it is expected to last.

Adhesive can improve confidence and retention, particularly with lower dentures. Using some is not itself a sign of failure. What is worth investigating is a growing reliance on it. Needing steadily more, or using it to hold a denture that has become loose, usually indicates the fit has changed as the ridge has resorbed. That is a reline conversation, not an adhesive one. Mention it at your next appointment.