Patients with a completely toothless jaw often suffer from their full denture: chewing function is often restricted, every smile is accompanied by the fear that the denture could loosen or even fall out of the mouth. This was also the case for a patient who came to our dental practice in Berlin-Mitte almost 1.5 years ago. He was wearing a loose full denture in the lower jaw, while the upper jaw was fitted with a previously fixed bridge. However, the bridge was attached to his own wobbly teeth, which had to be completely removed in the course of treatment. The 68-year-old was unhappy with his removable dentures and felt that his quality of life was significantly impaired. After an in-depth consultation, we suggested an innovative solution to the patient that would perfectly replace the lost teeth in terms of their functionality while also being aesthetically pleasing: Implant-supported dentures.

Dental implant - what is it?

Dental implants are artificial tooth roots that are inserted into the jaw and grow firmly into the bone. They serve as a stable base for dentures. Dental implants can be used not only to close individual gaps between teeth, but also to provide toothless jaws with full dentures. Implant-supported dentures are an extremely high-quality and very durable treatment option. As the dentures are firmly anchored in the mouth, this solution comes closest to the feeling of natural teeth. Sufficient healthy bone substance must be present to enable the implants to hold firmly in the jaw. If the jawbone has already deteriorated too much due to the lack of stimulation following the loss of natural teeth, surgical bone augmentation must take place prior to the procedure. This was also the case with this patient: Together with the internationally recognized specialist for bone augmentation, Prof. Dr. Khoury, we rebuilt the upper and lower jaw with autologous bone from the wisdom tooth region in the lower jaw.

Implant-supported dentures: the treatment procedure

After around 9 months, the jaw had sufficient bone substance and we were able to continue with the treatment. In order to optimally prepare for the procedure, we precisely recorded the patient's individual oral situation. This is because careful planning plays a key role in the success of the implant procedure. At our dental practice in Berlin-Mitte, we work with a digital X-ray machine (DVT), which takes particularly precise images with significantly less radiation. We use the images obtained in this way to determine the ideal position for the implants in the jaw. As our patient had two completely toothless jaws following the extraction of the remaining loose teeth in the upper jaw, a total of eight implants were inserted, four in each jaw. Two dental implants were placed in each of our patient's front teeth and two more in each of the lateral jaw areas.

Aftercare of dental implants

While the implants were still healing, the patient was able to rediscover the feeling of fixed teeth with a temporary denture. After the healing period, the permanent dentures were attached to the implants and the patient was referred to a trusted dental technician for follow-up care and fine-tuning: In the dental laboratory, the dentures were made to move more smoothly step by step. After the dental technician had adjusted the dentures, the patient came to see me for a follow-up in March 2017. Pressure points are usually removed at this appointment, but in this particular case this was not necessary: the dentures fitted perfectly. On this occasion, the patient was only given care instructions. The patient should now visit our dental practice in Berlin-Mitte at quarterly intervals for implant aftercare: For a professional tooth cleaning with a dental hygienist and for a check-up with me. With conscientious care and regular check-ups, the patient will be able to enjoy their new fixed teeth for a long time.

Dear patients, at our dental practice in Berlin-Mitte we are happy to advise you on the subject of dental implants and everything that goes with them. Giving you back your self-confident smile is not our duty, but our pleasure. Make an appointment, we look forward to seeing you!