Snap on dentures

We hear all the time from our patients how life changing dental implants are when they are done appropriately.   Patients become very emotional when they describe the positive change effective treatment has made for their quality of life.  Indeed, one of the greatest modern advances in lower denture therapy are “snap-on” dentures. Consensus groups at Mc Gill University in 2002 have even called it the “standard of care” for lower dentures.  However, sadly we often meet patients that have wasted money on implants placed in inappropriate locations, sometimes with much care, precision and expense.  A few tips to save money when contemplating implants to control your dentures are not widely adhered to are:

1. When your teeth are failing, don’t have any implants placed until a prosthodontist has made a sensible plan for you based on the long term prognosis of the rest of your teeth.  They cannot be removed easily or moved to other locations in your mouth after they are put in if the rest of your teeth around them are lost. Implants installed for crowns usually do not work for dentures and visa versa.  The cost for them is often just a waist.
2. Implants for upper dentures are usually not necessary for an effective result if the denture is properly molded by a prosthodontist to fit well.  This can be a huge savings to you by eliminating the expense of unnecessary number of implants and the cost of their future maintenance.
3. How many implants are needed?  As few as it takes to satisfy the requirements of an optimal result—usually only two if placed in the correct orientation.  More implants usually means more initial cost and more future maintenance cost for only a small amount of additional satisfaction.  This is a documented by a published study of thousands of denture wearers that reported their satisfaction after two implants and then after two additional implants, showing more bang for your buck with the first two and only a little more after the second two.
4. Dental implants not placed parallel don’t allow the snap-on mechanism to work properly and require more maintenance cost in the future.
5. Dental implants not placed deep enough do not leave room for denture teeth to fit over them—this results in a thin denture that is weak and breaks and leads to more replacement cost.
6. Mini implants are for mini jaws.

The final result is what matters.  Prosthodontists are specialists in the final result.  They see the treatment through from start to finish to ensure your result is appropriate and effective and affordable. 

Dr Rod Andrus is Southern Utah’s ONLY board certified prosthodontist and exclusively serves adults with advanced dental needs.  He can be reached for appointment at 435-674-3100.

AFFORDABLE SOLUTIONS FOR ADULT DENTAL ISSUES

If you are an adult still going to the same dentist you were when you were 9, it might be time for a change.  You’re not a kid anymore!  Unlike kids and teens that need braces and wisdom teeth removal, adults have different dental issues. 

For adults, treatment can be complex.  Medications can cause dry mouth that can, in turn, cause cavities.  Gum disease over time can lead to tooth loss later in life causing the bite to shift and compromise the ability to chew food.  Tooth wear can make teeth look older. 

Fortunately there is a dental specialty recognized by the ADA that deals with these unique adult issues--Prosthodontics.  Just as a kid’s dentist only sees kids, prosthodontists usually exclusively treat the advanced needs of adults. 

Furthermore, when it comes to the sometimes limited resources of older adults on fixed income, it is important for them to receive the most appropriate and effective care with that in mind.  Appropriate and effective treatment is more affordable over time.  That’s why prosthodontists dedicate an additional 3 years after dental school training—they are the committed to give their patients the best outcomes.

Dr Rod Andrus is a board certified prosthodontist

Exclusively serving adults with advanced dental needs.

Partial Dentures—Good or Bad?

Did you stop wearing your partial denture or “partial” because it was loose or uncomfortable?  Has it since ended up in your dresser drawer or tucked away under the bathroom sink somewhere?  Did you get tired of the adjustments, excuses and even blaming?  How can something so ineffective be considered appropriate or affordable at any cost?

The answer is, it’s not--poorly designed partials are a waist of money.  You see, many dental schools have stopped teaching dentists proper partial design because dental implants are so popular.  However, there are many times when dental implants are not appropriate and sometimes not even possible.  In these situations, a well designed partial can be the best option.  The best outcomes for partials are realized when enhancement features to the anchoring teeth are made prior to making the mold.  If this step is delegated to the lab after the mold is made, it’s too late.  The enhancement features are key to the partial fitting tightly and can only be made by someone who has designed the partial in advance of making the mold.  Furthermore thin, ridged materials are best when designed properly, unlike the damaging flexible materials that have become a fad lately.

The specialty of prosthodontics is committed to preserving the art of quality partial denture design from becoming lost for the sake of improving outcomes for everyone who is suffering from missing teeth.  Prosthodontists receive years of extensive specialized training beyond dental school in appropriate and effective partial design.  Dr Rod Andrus is Southern Utah’s only board certified prosthodontist and exclusively serves adults with advanced dental needs.