What is a palateless denture and should you choose one to replace gaps in your mouth?
As implant dentists for the last two decades, we know a thing or two about replacing missing teeth successfully.
Since traditional dentures have existed, patients have struggled with endless issues presented by using a covered soft palate.
For those not familiar with how dentures work, you’ll be surprised to discover that upper dentures are designed to cover the roof of the mouth, hindering a person’s ability to taste and experience food.
On top of this, upper dentures have a limited function, which has been known to deteriorate the quality of life.
However, through advancements in prosthetic dentistry, palateless dentures are now being offered to patients. But are they any better?
Palateless dentures are exactly as the name suggests; they are upper dentures that do not feature a palate in an effort to boost comfort and a sense of taste.
Palateless dentures can exist in several forms. For example, palateless dentures describe any prosthetic device that has no plate that covers the upper palate – this can include, dental implants, tooth-retained overdentures and fixed or removable restorations.
These types of dentures are extremely helpful for patients with a highly sensitive gag reflex, or those who might be facing difficulty adjusting to the palate in a conventional denture.
Book a consultation with our implant dentists in East Molesey to discover which kind of tooth replacement method will be best for your situation:
Palateless dentures or snap-on dentures as they are more familiarly known today use dental implants to anchor the denture securely (and permanently).
Using only four implants in strategic positions in the jaw, we can replace a patient’s missing teeth with relative ease, and without the need for other common pre-implant procedures like sinus lifts or bone augmentations.
As the cost of this implant-based system is much less than traditional implant treatments, patients on a budget tend to opt for treatments like implant-retained dentures, or implant-supported bridges, which all incorporate a palateless function.
Palateless dentures or snap-on dentures as they are more familiarly known today use dental implants to anchor the denture securely (and permanently).
Traditional dentures typically rely on suction from the top of your mouth to keep the denture in place.
Many denture wearers we have met have found this uncomfortable, and sometimes embarrassing when the denture slips out of position.
Not to mention that dentures featuring palates distort the taste and experience of food.
Whereas, with implant dentures, we use dental implants (artificial tooth roots) and embed them into the jaw so they do not cup the roof of the mouth.
If in the case of a loose-fitting palateless denture, we would recommend getting a second opinion immediately.
Often, if the denture is loose, it might not be secured properly to your implants.
Or, the osseointegration period of healing has been successful and the implants and jawbone have not fused successfully.
Whatever the reason, a loose snap-on denture suggests a problem with the implants and this will need to be addressed quickly.
An examination using our in-house 3D CT scan will tell us the answers.
Loose implants can have the following effects:
