If you’ve lost most or all of your teeth in Mandeville, you may be considering dentures to replace your teeth. But you have other options, like Hybridge implant-supported bridges. What’s the difference between these treatments, and what’s a better option?
Get all the answers you need in this blog from the Mandeville Center for Dental Excellence. We’ll explain the basics of both treatments, how they work, and which one may be a better choice for your situation.
Traditional dentures are removable, and are designed to replace the upper, lower, or both rows of teeth. The denture base is made of gum-colored acrylic, and fits tightly over your gums. The base of the dentures supports a full set of false teeth, which are also usually made out of a tough, durable acrylic material.
Dentures are held in place almost entirely by friction. The denture base is built to fit perfectly around your gums, which hold the dentures in place. Denture adhesive can also be used to secure the dentures.
However, dentures still take some getting used to. Traditional dentures still may shift and move, or feel bulky and uncomfortable until you get used to wearing them. They also require a lot of special care, such as removing and cleaning them after each meal, and soaking them overnight to clean them.
Hybridge is quite different from traditional dentures, but it does the same thing, replacing the upper, lower, or both arches of missing teeth with false teeth.
The first major difference is that Hybridge is supported by a set of 4 dental implants, which are permanently attached to your gums and jaw. Your Hybridge full arch dental implant bridge will attach to these implants using a special metal framework that holds the bridge in place permanently.
This leads us to the second major difference. Unlike dentures, Hybridge is not removable. Your teeth are designed to be permanently attached to your implants. This makes it a lot more stable, and means that caring for your teeth is more convenient.
This depends on a lot of different factors. First, while Hybridge has a lot of benefits compared to dentures and lasts much longer, it’s a lot more expensive, and it usually is not covered by dental insurance, so cost is definitely a factor to consider.
In addition, Hybridge requires you to have a healthy mouth with a strong enough jaw to accommodate 4 dental implants. If you have a weak jaw due to tooth loss, you may not qualify for treatment, or you may need additional bone grafting before treatment can begin.
Hybridge is also non-removable, which is convenient and ensures your teeth never move or shift while you eat, but this also means it is a bit harder to learn how to keep your full arch dental implant bridge clean, since you can’t just remove it to clean it.
No two patients are the same, and either Hybridge and traditional dentures may be a good option depending on your circumstances and oral health. If you’d like to explore these tooth replacement options in more detail, Dr. Charles Schof is here to help.
As an expert in both dentures and Hybridge in Mandeville, Dr. Schof can help you explore the pros and cons of each treatment, discuss budgeting and pricing, and determine which treatment is appropriate for your case. Contact us online or give us a call at (985) 626-4401 to get started right away.
