What is a Locator Denture?
Many patients who are edentulous (completely toothless) and wear a removable prosthesis- traditional dentures- would like to have solid and stable teeth again. Many people with traditional dentures complain about how they fit, look, and function. Yet, for some patients, there are alternatives to consider. Even if you think your teeth cannot be restored with the help of fixed dentures for health reasons - too little bone, illnesses, or if you are on a budget.
If you have enough problems with falling out and unstable lower dentures, you cannot get used to them and learn to live with only upper dentures and palatal plates, which limit your quality of life so much, modern dentistry and implants may be able to come to the rescue, and you can regain the lost stability and comfort of your natural teeth.
Some modern dentures have nothing to do with adhesive cream and a glass of water standing on the bedside table. Thanks to modern prosthetic-implantological solutions, such as the Locator prosthesis in the upper and lower jaw, you can improve your quality of life with less money.
Traditional Dentures
Traditional dentures are simple, removable prostheses that have been around for centuries. These generally are the cheapest solution to complete tooth loss but wearing them can involve a lot of inconvenience and requires a change in lifestyle - usually, for the worse. The denture in the upper jaw does not have a full palate, but it is relatively stable and does not fall off thanks to a palatal plate. Because traditional dentures use full or partial plates to stay in place, they affect the taste of food, cause a foreign body sensation in the mouth, and can trigger the gag reflex. The pressure on the gums leads to bone atrophy, which is associated with frequent visits to the dentist to adjust or replace the prosthesis. Lower dentures, in turn, have a lower tongue bracket that is supposed to stabilize them. The lack of proper stability prevents normal eating, speaking, and living as the prosthesis is constantly wobbling and can fall out when the mouth is wide open. Complete dentures are often associated with both aesthetic and functional limitations.
Locator Denture on Implants
Fixing a denture on implants with locators is currently one of the most convenient and reliable ways to stabilize your dentures. A Locator prosthesis is a more comfortable alternative to a classic total prosthesis and a less expensive alternative to other fixed reconstructions. This is largely due to the fact that the prostheses are not permanently fixed to the implant; rather, they are designed to snap on and off every day for care and cleaning.
The name Locator prosthesis as a designation for implant-supported dental prosthesis in the upper jaw without a palatal plate and implant-supported lower jaw prosthesis is derived from the fastening system for dentures with a system called Locator. Locators are prefabricated retaining elements used to anchor implant-supported full dentures without a palatal plate (in the upper jaw). Locator dentures will not slip around, fall out, interfere with speaking, and will meet your aesthetic expectations! If for various reasons you cannot afford traditional implant-supported dentures, we recommend these removable solutions with locators (snap fasteners) as a good alternative.