From Old Dentures to Full-Arch Implants at Gaerong Station Dental Clinic — From Vertical Dimension to Facial Restoration

Hello.

I am Dr. Seo Ho-yeon of Gaerong Station Dental Clinic.

People who have used dentures for a long time commonly say one thing.

"They have become uncomfortable compared to before."

When they first had their dentures fitted,

there were no major problems in daily life,

but as the years passed, changes in the oral environment often caused the prosthesis to become loose and painful.

Eventually, many people begin giving up one food after another and decide to switch to implants.

Today, I would like to explain the full-arch implant process for situations like this.

1. Why Dentures No Longer Fit

2024.12.19

The photographs prepared by Gaerong Station Dental Clinic show several complex problems in the oral cavity.

The gums supporting the remaining teeth have receded considerably, leaving the tooth roots fully exposed, and severe mobility can be anticipated even by visual examination.

As the alveolar bone that should surround the roots has continued to be resorbed, the very foundation supporting the teeth has collapsed.

In this condition, even if the remaining teeth are forcibly preserved, recovery of the periodontal tissues is unlikely, and additional damage to the surrounding bone may occur instead.

What about extracting the teeth that are difficult to preserve and simply remaking the dentures?

This is not a fundamental solution either.

Because the prosthesis rests on top of the gums, as long as bone resorption continues,

even a precisely fitted denture will eventually become loose again, leading to the need for another treatment.

In other words, a method that only covers the surface is difficult to maintain for a long time.

2. Planning for Full-Arch Implants Is Important

2024.12.19

In the case explained earlier by Gaerong Station Dental Clinic, extraction was considered unavoidable for all teeth except some of the mandibular teeth.

When faced with a situation like this, switching to full-arch implants can also be considered as an option.

However, one point must be taken into consideration: multiple implants will need to be placed.

This requires detailed planning and judgment at every stage, from diagnosis and surgery to the osseointegration period and laboratory work.

In particular, patients who require multiple implants are often older, so their overall health, current medications, and bone density must be evaluated.

The first essential condition is to establish an individualized treatment plan through a thorough preoperative medical history and examination.

3. Osseointegration and Impression Taking

Implant surgery involves placing fixtures sequentially in the planned areas.

Each fixture is placed precisely at a position, angle, and depth that will allow it to remain stable for a long time.

The fixtures are then observed through a sufficient healing period so that they can gain stability.

This process is called osseointegration and is the period during which firm fixation is established.

The most important points during the osseointegration process explained by Gaerong Station Dental Clinic are to avoid significant stimulation and to maintain cleanliness continuously.

The required period varies from person to person, but it takes approximately three months on average.

Once firm stability has been confirmed, second-stage surgery and precise impression taking using a digital intraoral scanner are carried out.

4. Prosthetic Design to Restore Facial Balance

There is a particularly important aspect to address when planning full-arch implants.

It is the vertical dimension, which refers to the vertical relationship between the upper and lower jaws, and lip support.

When considerable bone resorption has occurred, this height decreases, making the lower part of the face appear sunken and causing wrinkles to form around the mouth.

The lip support mentioned earlier by Gaerong Station Dental Clinic is also important in the same context.

If the front teeth and gums do not adequately support the inside of the lips, the lips may appear to sink inward.

In other words, this can create an impression of looking older than one's actual age.

2025.11.10

Therefore, when designing the prosthesis, considering the shape and position together with these factors can lead to a natural restoration of the facial appearance.

2025.11.10

Being able to chew well is important, but this case clearly demonstrates that sufficient consideration was also given to whether the patient's facial appearance looks natural and healthy.

5. Returning to Comfortable Daily Life

Once a stable bite has been achieved in this way, people can chew foods they had previously given up, and their overall quality of life changes.

2025.11.10

In addition, the reason implants have received such positive evaluations is precisely their natural restoration of facial appearance and comfort.

Dentures must be repeatedly put on and removed, and movement and a foreign-body sensation during meals are ongoing concerns.

2024.12.19 ~ 2025.11.10

In contrast, implants are fixed to the bone and function in a way similar to natural teeth, so they can restore the comfort people experienced when they had their natural teeth.

Of course, dentures themselves are not necessarily a bad choice.

Depending on the circumstances, dentures may be appropriate.

However, if it is difficult to maintain their function after long-term use and bone resorption is continuing, it may be worth considering switching to implants.

If you have been experiencing discomfort like that described above, I hope you will have your current condition evaluated.

This has been Gaerong Station Dental Clinic.

Thank you.

2024.12.19 ~ 2025.11.10