Implant Supported Dentures

An implant supported denture, often called a snap-in denture, is a removable denture that clips onto two to four implants instead of resting on the gum. It stops a loose lower denture floating, and you still take it out at night to clean it. At Pearl32 Dentistry and Wellness in Laguna Hills we plan it on a 3D cone beam scan, place the implants here, and fit the denture in the same office.

The short answer

A snap-in denture suits someone whose lower denture will not stay put, who wants it to hold without surgery for a full fixed bridge, and who is happy to keep taking a plate out at night. If you want teeth that never come out, look at a fixed All-on-4 bridge instead. Our All-on-4 vs dentures page sets all three options side by side.

How a snap-in denture works

Two to four implants go into the jawbone. Once they have bonded, small attachments are screwed onto them. Matching housings are set into the underside of the denture, with a nylon insert in each that snaps over the attachment. The denture then holds firmly, lifts off with a tug, and goes back on with a click. On an upper denture the palate can sometimes be cut back once the implants carry the load.

Who it suits, and who it does not

It suits a lower denture that moves when you speak or eat, someone with limited bone who still has enough at the front of the jaw for two implants, and anyone who wants a firmer hold at a lower cost than a fixed bridge. It is a poorer fit if you want to stop thinking about dentures altogether, since it still comes out at night, or if your hands make unclipping a small plate difficult. Your existing denture must be in good condition to convert, otherwise a new one is made.

What happens at our Laguna Hills office

You start with an examination and the 3D cone beam scan, which shows where the bone is and how many implants it will take. The implants are placed under local anesthetic, with sedation available. Your current denture is relined so you can wear it while the implants bond over three to six months. The attachments are then fitted, your denture is converted or a new one is made, and you come back once or twice to fine tune the fit. Implant placement and the denture work are both done here. Our implant dentistry page explains how we place implants.

Living with it

It comes out at night. You brush the implants and their attachments in the mouth and soak the denture as before. The nylon inserts wear and are replaced every year or two. The implants preserve the bone around them, but the ridge under the rest of the denture still shrinks slowly, so relines are needed over the years like any denture.

Cost

A snap-in denture is quoted per arch, itemized and in writing, after the scan. It costs less than a fixed bridge because it uses fewer implants and a denture rather than a milled bridge. Dental plans often contribute toward the denture portion. Third party financing is available through the plans on our financing page, and the practice is not the creditor. We do not publish a figure here because the number of implants and the state of your current denture change it.

Timeline

From implant placement to the finished snap-in denture is usually four to eight months. Most of that is the three to six months the implants take to bond with the bone, during which you wear your relined denture. Converting or making the denture takes two to four weeks after that.

Questions people ask about implant supported dentures

What is an implant supported denture?

It is a removable denture that clips onto implants instead of resting on the gum. Two to four implants carry small attachments, and matching housings inside the denture snap over them. It holds still when you talk and eat, and you still take it out at night to clean it.

How many implants does a snap-in denture need?

A lower snap-in denture usually sits on two implants placed toward the front of the jaw, where the bone is densest. An upper usually needs four, because upper bone is softer. The 3D cone beam scan at our Laguna Hills office decides the number for your jaw.

Can my existing denture be converted to snap in?

Often, yes, if it fits well and the acrylic is in good condition. The housings are set into the underside of your current denture. If it is worn, cracked or loose on the ridge, a new denture is made to fit the attachments from the start.

Do I take an implant denture out at night?

Yes. It comes out for cleaning and soaks overnight like a conventional denture. The implants and their attachments are brushed in the mouth. Sleeping in it is not recommended, because the gum under it needs the rest.

How is a snap-in denture different from All-on-4?

A snap-in denture is removable and clips onto two to four implants. An All-on-4 bridge is screwed onto four to six implants and only a dentist removes it. The bridge chews closer to natural teeth and never moves. The snap-in denture needs fewer implants, costs less, and comes out to clean.

How long do the clips last?

The nylon inserts inside the denture wear and are swapped in a few minutes, usually every year or two. The implants themselves stay put. The denture is relined as the ridge changes, and the acrylic is replaced when it wears, much like any denture.

This page is general information, not a diagnosis. What is right for you can only be decided after an examination and a 3D scan.