What is a Bar Retained Overdenture?
If you are missing a complete set of teeth in an arch, or have suffered significant tooth loss, a bar retained overdenture might be a great fit for your smile. Bar retained overdentures provide patients with a removable denture prosthetic, and the durability and stability of a dental implant, all in one. Let’s discuss what a bar retained overdenture is, why you would need one, the process of implantation, and what next steps look like.
What is a Dental Implant?
A dental implant is a surgically implanted dental replacement tool. A small and sturdy piece of titanium, or other material, is inserted into the jaw in a short outpatient operation. This implant anchor sends stimuli to the jawbone and tissues called osteoclasts, that activates the tissues under your jaw. This activation leads to osseointegration, wherein the bone and gums accept and grow to encompass the implantation. In a bar retained overdenture, these implants will become the foundation by which your new smile is constructed.
Why choose a Dental Implant instead of other denture options?
Every patient is different, there is no one right answer. However, dental implants provide an inscrutable security and durability in comparison to traditional dentures. With a bar retained overdenture, the patient is able to remove the overdenture for cleaning, hygiene, and aesthetic purposes. Dental Implants also help to prevent and protect against many of the concerns the patient faces when they begin losing teeth. Once tooth structure is missing, signals to the jaw stop happening during eating, speech, and daily activity. Over time, this can lead to the jaw drastically reducing, changing the face of the patient. Replacing missing teeth with a bar retained overdenture helps to ensure the patient keeps their jawline, and develops dental health post tooth loss.
What is the process of receiving a bar retained overdenture?
If your dentures are implant-anchored, you will require an examination first. Your dentist will take an x ray to assess the health of your jaw. Once your jaw is eligible for candidacy, the implant anchor will be placed in a short procedure. Depending on your body’s needs, 2-4 implant anchors should be placed for a complete denture arch. Then the patient will need to wait for a short time, the length of which depends on their body. Every body heals at different rates, but you want the tissues to set all around the implant, to ensure anything affixed is securely placed. If an implant is loose or wobbly at any point, reach out to your dentist.
After the recovery time, the dentures can be attached to the anchors. In a bar retained overdenture, the bar will attach to the implants. During your recovery time, the overdentures should have been sized, molded and assessed. Ideally, your dentures should be ready for use by the time your anchors are fully integrated.
Next steps
Begin by seeing your dentist. They are the only people who can really help you decide whether bar retained overdentures are the right course of action. If you are missing teeth, ask to speak to someone about replacement tooth options promptly. A thorough cleaning and examination is a great next step on the path to your new smile.