Medically Reviewed By: Elizabeth Felts Randall, DMD, MS
Nonremovable hybrid dentures are a preferred treatment alternative to traditional dentures for Dalton, Georgia patients. Dental implants support a hybrid denture for a secure, comfortable fit. At Chattanooga Periodontics & Dental Implants, Dr. Felts and Dr. Randall provide custom-made hybrid dentures for long-lasting results, a better experience, and a natural-looking smile with dentures. But why are hybrid dentures preferable to traditional dentures? We will explain how a hybrid denture outperforms a traditional one in bite force, its effect on speech, and jawbone stimulation.
Increase Bite Force
Dental implants anchor nonremovable hybrid dentures, thereby increasing bite force. A 2009 article in the Journal of Oral Implantology published study results confirming that the maximum bite force in patients with lower implant-supported overdentures was significantly higher than that of patients with removable dentures.
The benefits of increased bite force include:
- Ability to eat without dentures lifting or sliding
- Improved chewing efficiency
- Better digestion because the patient can chew food well and maximize its nutritional benefits
- Jawbone stimulation while biting and chewing
Improve Speech
The lips, tongue, and teeth help form and pronounce words. Unlike traditional dentures, hybrid dentures maintain a snug fit. Their stability helps patients in these ways:
- Enunciate clearly
- Speak without dentures clicking, sliding, or falling out
- Socialize without self-consciousness or embarrassment due to a poor-fitting denture that affects their speech
Also, a hybrid denture is comfortable, helping Dalton, Georgia, patients focus on their conversations instead of the position or feel of their dentures.
Stimulate Jawbone
The dental implants that support hybrid dentures are artificial tooth roots that stimulate the patient’s jawbone and prevent bone shrinkage, which occurs when teeth are missing. According to the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, studies show that a patient loses an estimated 50 percent of the alveolar bone (supports teeth sockets) width within 12 months after tooth removal. Thirty percent of the shrinkage occurs within the first 12 weeks after tooth removal.
Jawbone preservation from implant-supported dentures has oral health and aesthetic benefits unachievable by traditional dentures, including:
- Supports dental implants – Quality, healthy jawbone supports the patient’s implant prosthesis and ensures the denture stays in place.
- Retains facial structure – Preserving the jawbone helps prevent premature facial sagging. A healthy lower jawbone supports lower facial muscles and the chin, while the upper jaw helps shape the middle of the face and chin.
- Oral function – A strong, healthy jawbone can withstand chewing forces and minimizes changes in the fit and comfort of a patient’s replacement teeth.
Who Qualifies for a Hybrid Denture?
Most patients qualify for a nonremovable hybrid denture unless they lack enough quality jawbone to support dental implants, even after bone grafting. If a patient’s jaw can anchor a minimal number of dental implants, a snap-on denture may be preferable.
At Chattanooga Periodontics & Dental Implants, a third-generation family business, Dr. Felts and Dr. Randall use hybrid dentures to help patients in Dalton, Georgia, achieve better oral function and a more attractive smile. Visit our Implant-Supported Dentures page for details, or read our next blog post about snap-on dentures, an alternative to nonremovable implant dentures.
