If you live on the South Side Slopes or down along East Carson Street and have worn dentures for years, you probably have a routine: a tube of adhesive in the bathroom, another in the car, and a habit of checking your denture before you speak up. It works, more or less. But there are better ways to keep a denture in place.
Atlas Dental Specialists fits complete, partial, and implant-supported dentures at our Downtown office, a short trip across the Smithfield Street or 10th Street Bridge. Drs. Nicholas and Mara Mangini are prosthodontists, and our Shadyside office is also within reach over the Birmingham Bridge.
Adhesive is meant to add a little extra hold, not to make up for a poor fit. When a denture needs more and more of it, the usual reason is that the bone and gums beneath have changed shape. Without tooth roots to stimulate it, the jawbone gradually shrinks, and the gap between denture and gum grows.
A reline can restore the fit of a denture that is otherwise in good shape. A new complete or partial denture may be the better option if the teeth are worn or the base is damaged. And for many long-term wearers, anchoring the denture to implants is what finally ends the reliance on adhesive.
An implant-supported denture clicks onto implants in the jaw rather than relying on suction and adhesive. Because the implants act like tooth roots, they also stimulate the surrounding bone, which helps slow the shrinkage that loosens conventional dentures over time.
Most implant overdentures use two to four implants per arch. After the implants heal, the final denture is fitted with attachments that snap onto them. You still remove it to clean it, but it stays put the rest of the day.
Implant dentures need a little maintenance to stay secure. The small nylon or rubber attachments inside the denture wear with use and typically need to be replaced every 12 to 18 months. The denture base may need relining every three to five years as the gums change. Both are quick visits.
At home, remove the denture each night and clean it with a soft brush and denture cleanser, not regular toothpaste. Brush gently around the implant posts to keep the gums healthy. Our snap-in dentures page has more care tips.
The South Side’s hills and river bridges can make any appointment feel like a trek, so we plan denture care to keep visits efficient and give you the full schedule upfront. Our Downtown office is open until 6 PM Tuesday through Thursday.
For general care close to home, see our South Side dental care page, and read about dental implants near the South Side if you are replacing individual teeth.
Many patients with implant-supported dentures no longer need adhesive at all, because the denture snaps onto the implants instead of relying on suction.
The attachments inside an implant denture typically need replacement every 12 to 18 months. It is a quick, routine visit that restores a snug hold.
Our Downtown office on Fifth Avenue is a short trip across the Smithfield Street or 10th Street Bridge. Our Shadyside office is reachable over the Birmingham Bridge through Oakland.
Drs. Nicholas and Mara Mangini trained at the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine and completed three-year prosthodontic residencies. They have led Atlas Dental Specialists since 2014 and handle implant and denture care entirely in-house.
We accept MetLife, Cigna, Principal, and Ameritas, with financing through CareCredit, Cherry, and SunBit. Schedule your visit today.
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