Colleen Tracy Dentistry
425-337-1000
frontdesk@tracydds.com
Quick Reference
Do I Need a Lower Jaw Implant?
If you have a lower denture, you probably know how hard it can be to eat comfortably. When lower teeth are lost, the bone in the jaw continually recedes. Even worse, there are nerves passing through these holes in the jaw that can end up on the surface of the bone. If this happens, there is a great deal of pain when you bite down.
Fortunately, it's usually possible to place implants into the lower jaw. Dental implants are small titanium cylinders that are surgically inserted into the bone of the jaw to replace the roots of missing teeth.
One way to use implants on the lower jaw is to connect the implants with a bar and then put clips into a new lower denture. These clips snap onto the bar and keep the denture from rocking and shifting. A denture, like this one, can still be removed for easy access and at-home cleaning of the implants and bar. Another option is a lower bridge. It may be cemented in, or held in place by screws.
Using dental implants to support either a lower denture or a bridge will keep the pressure off the bone and nerves. The implants also help stop the bone loss in the jaw that continues once teeth have been removed. Securing your teeth with dental implants can make a world of difference. You can eat, talk, laugh and smile with confidence.