Full Dental Implants
Fixed Full Arch Implant Bridge
Not having teeth makes life difficult. Not being able to eat the foods you want, smile in public, or lose confidence at the workplace or in romantic relationships takes a toll emotionally.
Often people come to our office not knowing what to do to get their smile and life back.
our implant dentist can give you new teeth with removable dentures, but most of our patients want fixed dentures.
Fixed dentures go by a lot of names, including:
- Implant supported dentures
- Hybrid dentures
- Implant bridge
We like to call them a fixed full arch implant bridge, because their appearance is similar to that of a bridge and cannot be removed without us unscrewing them. The idea is that they are teeth securely anchored to the person’s jaw bone with dental implants.
A fixed full arch implant bridge is the best option for those patients who have lost or are losing their natural teeth in either both the upper and lower jaw, yet would like to wear well fitted, natural-looking prosthetic teeth that are non-removable.
What exactly is a fixed full arch implant bridge?
A fixed full arch implant bridge consists of placing four or more implants in the lower or upper jaw followed by attaching a temporary bridge. Then, after several months of healing, a final bridge is put in a person’s mouth.
Many times a temporary fixed implant bridge, also known as an immediate fixed denture, can be placed the same day the natural teeth are extracted and the implants placed. This means you go home with your teeth before leaving our office. And later you will get a “final” fixed bridge. But you will never be without teeth.
Notes:
- Although placing a fixed bridge with implants is usually the same between the upper and lower jaws, the upper tends to have softer bone density requiring more implants to support the new prosthetic device. The lower tends to have more bone density to make it more possible to have only 4 implants and fix the bridge in place securely.
- Many patients refer to a fixed, final denture as the “permanent denture.” However, it is important to realize that similar to natural teeth, dental prosthetics need to be replaced over time due to their constant, daily usage, and as a result of the wear, they are fixed but technically not “permanent.”
Through advancements in dental technology, a fixed full arch implant bridge is the most natural-looking teeth that also maintain a person’s optimal quality of life.