Can a Denturist Do Dental Implants?

A lot of the patients we see at Smile Now were sent by their denturist. Usually the story goes the same way. The denture has started to rock, the reline didn't last as long as the one before it, and the denturist finally says it out loud: implants might be the better fix.

Then the patient asks the obvious question. Can you just do the implants here?

Can a denturist place dental implants?

No. In Alberta, placing an implant is surgery, and it is done by a dentist. What a denturist can do is build the teeth that go on top. The College of Alberta Denturists says its members provide complete and partial dentures, including those on dental implants for two or more teeth.

So it's a two-person job. A dentist places the implants in the jawbone. A denturist makes the teeth that attach to them.

What does my denturist do if I get implants?

More than most people expect. Your denturist usually:

• Notices first. They see your gums and dentures more often than anyone, so they tend to spot the moment a denture stops being fixable.
• Refers you for an implant assessment, and sends along what they know about your mouth and your denture history.
• Keeps you comfortable while you decide. A reline or repair can buy time.
• Makes the removable denture or the fixed prosthesis that attaches to the implants, when that's the plan you choose.

Removable or fixed: who makes the new teeth?

It depends on which option you pick.

• Removable implant dentures (snap-on dentures). These clip onto two to four implants and come out at night for cleaning. Your denturist makes this denture. We place the implants and hand the denture work back to them.
• Fixed full-arch teeth, such as All-on-4. These are screwed onto the implants and don't come out at home. Your denturist makes these teeth too, working with our team.

Your consultation is where this gets sorted. We'll tell you plainly which option fits your bone and your budget, and who will make each part. Our implant-supported dentures page compares the two in more detail.

Will my denturist know what's happening?

Yes. When your denturist refers you, we write back after your consultation, after surgery, and again at your two-week check. They know what was done and what comes next. Nobody has to chase anyone for an update. Denturists can find out how referrals work on our referring doctors page.

Questions to ask your denturist

Bring these to your next appointment:

1. Is my denture still fixable, or am I paying for relines that won't hold?
2. Would implants help me, and which kind would you suggest I ask about?
3. Who do you refer implant patients to, and why them?
4. If I go with a removable implant denture, can you make it?
5. What happens to my current denture while I heal?

When is it time to ask about implants?

Most of our denture patients aren't decades-long wearers. They're in their first few years and already unhappy. The denture moves when they eat, and they've stopped going out for dinner. If that sounds like you, ask now rather than later. The jawbone under a denture keeps changing, and options are easier to plan while there's more of it.