The implant-stabilised denture

Removable, but held

The appliance stays removable: you take it out to clean it and for the night. What changes is what holds it — no longer suction on the gum, but attachments that clip onto the implants.

A conventional complete denture rests on the mucosa and the bony ridge. It holds as long as saliva and ridge shape allow, and it shifts as soon as either changes. Attachments remove that uncertainty.

How many implants

Two implants are often enough in the lower jaw, where a complete denture holds least well. In the upper jaw four are generally needed: the bearing surface is more favourable there, but the bone is softer.

That number is settled after 3D imaging. It depends on the bone volume available and on how chewing forces spread across the arch.

What it changes day to day

• Chewing firm food becomes possible again
• The denture no longer lifts when you speak or laugh
• Adhesive creams are no longer needed
• The palatal plate can often be reduced, which gives taste back

That last point comes up in consultation more often than people expect: a covered palate takes away part of the sense of taste and temperature.

Cleaning, and the attachments

The denture is brushed outside the mouth, morning and evening. The implants and the gum around them are brushed separately, with a suitable interdental brush: they carry everything.

The retentive parts of the attachments are wear components. They are replaced periodically — a short appointment, and the normal counterpart of a system that clips several times a day.

Fixed or stabilised: how the choice is made

A fixed prosthesis comes closer to a natural dentition, but calls for more implants, more bone, and rigorous cleaning beneath the fitting surface.

A stabilised denture needs fewer implants, is easier to clean since it leaves the mouth, and stays reversible. On the other hand it takes up more space, and it comes out.

The choice follows the assessment: bone volume, the state of the gums, your ability to maintain it, and what you expect day to day. Both options are put to you with their trade-offs.