Implant supported denture-Locator Implants

Implant supported denture is used when a person does not have any teeth in the jaw, but have enough bone to support implants. The implants have special attachments that snap on to the denture.

The denture can be taken out and cleaned, but ones snapped in, it will be very stable in the mouth. These attachments can even be retrofitted to an existing denture to make it more stable.

Whatever your demands, we have the know-how, experience and technology to provide you with the very best implant surgery available today.

Some patients manage well with dentures initially when they are first fitted however as time goes on it is common that dentures can become uncomfortable and cause difficulties with eating and speaking. This is primarily due to the fact that the ridges in the mouth that support the dentures shrink back over time leading to loss of fit and instability of the dentures. Secondly as we age our ability to manage unsecured teeth (neuromuscular control) declines. Unfortunately this results in some older patients leaving their teeth out with subsequent functional and social problems. Being able to enjoy eating our food and eating a healthy diet  should be a pleasure in life and dental implants can help with this.

Patients now have the option to anchor dentures to dental implants, creating significantly improved chewing function and a more natural appearance. However, not all patients have been able to receive implant supported dentures for a variety of reasons including gum tissue volume, jawbone density, and health concerns. That’s where the innovative Locator^® implant overdenture can help.

With a two-piece coronal design, the LODI system is said to offer a less invasive, predictable and long-term implant retained overdenture option for patients requiring an effective, cost conscious technique for securing their dentures.

What Makes the Locator^® Implant Overdenture Unique?

Traditional implants rely fully on the patient’s existing gum tissue and jawbone for support. For many fully edentulous (without teeth) patients, dental implants are unable to fuse properly with the supportive structures. This is especially true for those patients who have already worn a full denture for years. Locator^® implant overdentures use a freestanding Locator® attachment. This metal attachment piece connects each implant post. This attachment spreads the pressure of the denture out over the entire jaw rather than focusing in on the implant sites.

Who Should consider a Locator® Implant Overdenture?

The Locator^® implant overdenture is recommended for patients who want to improve the stability of their current denture, especially if these patients were previously unable to receive dental implants due to a lack of jawbone density. Because the pressure is spread evenly across the jaw line through the Locator^® attachment, these patients are much more likely to achieve adequate implant fusion to support the full denture.

Additionally, these overdentures can be removed at night and for cleaning. They are great for patients who have arthritis or other dexterity concerns that make brushing a fixed denture difficult.

The dentures subsequently become more comfortable and patients regain their confidence lost with the unstable dentures.

Maintenance is straightforward as the denture can be easily removed by the patient for cleaning of the prosthesis and implants in the mouth.

The cost of this type of implant placement is lower than conventional implants, patients only needs 4 implants per arch to support the denture.

Dr Shebin Koshy is highly experienced in the placement of Locator implants. Patient satisfaction has been 100% and is highly recommended for patients looking for a cost effective solution to stabilise wobbly dentures.