As you may expect, an implant-supported denture is supported by and attached to a dental implant.
What are dentures?
Dentures are dental prosthetics that replace missing teeth. Typically, they are supported by the soft and hard tissues of the oral cavity. Most conventional dentures are removable.
What are dental implants?
Dental implants are tiny titanium rods that are implanted into the jaw bone, and act as replacements for the roots of missing teeth. When they are capped with a dental crown, dental implants make for a permanent and natural looking replacement for missing teeth that feel very much like natural teeth do.
How do dentures and dental implants work together?
As mentioned above, a regular denture rests on the gums, and is not supported by implants. An implant-supported denture is a good option for people who don't have any teeth in the jaw, but have enough bone in the jaw to support implants.
Implant-supported dentures have special attachments that snap onto corresponding attachments on the implants, helping to hold them securely in place.
While implant-supported dentures are usually made for the lower jaw, because regular dentures tend to be less stable there, you can get an implant-supported denture in either the upper or lower jaw.