Dental Implant Overdenture Locator Attachments…Patient Information

If you already have dentures, dental implants can be used to “lock” your denture to the bone. This is called an overdenture.

Please see this post for some overdenture basic information.

There are many choices for securing your implants to the denture. You should know that are bars or individual anchors. I will focus on the locator attachment.

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This video will help you understand the basics:

Here is a picture of what they look like in the mouth:

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This is a picture of the actual attachment that gets embedded into the denture.

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Most overdentures will eventually need to be replaced. The acrylic weakens over time. A tooth may pop out or it may break in half. Some can be repaired and some will need to be replaced. This is considered normal wear and is the downside of an overdenture compared to a fixed zirconia bridge. An overdenture can be modernized and converted into a fixed bridge.

Does this help you? Please comment below!

17 thoughts on “Dental Implant Overdenture Locator Attachments…Patient Information”

  1. my dentist placed the male portion of the locator componet but couldnt make a decent wax try in which he only placed 2 of the 4 female componets/ locators. with the wax try in never fitting right cutting my gums, teeth placed too far forward and too low, i choose to get second opinion. anyway, since leaving he has filed a claim stating he placed custom abutments, then he trys custom fabricated abutments, whichnis a lie. He actually only placed the 4 male componetsof the locators. 4xD6191. That isw all I should be charged for? would you agree?

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  2. I have 4 implants on the top and bottom . I need to replace the holders where can I get the replacements. My dentist wants 25.00 apeice I know how replace them I need to buy some strong ones

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  3. my lower denture has 3 plastic attachments and the one on the middle it is too tied I can not take it out in over a year. what you recommended to do ?

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    • Oh gosh. It has been in for one year?? Yikes….you need to go to a dentist to remove it.
      You will lose the implant or dissolve the bone around it like this.

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  4. My plastic attachment has to be replaced every 3 or 4 wks the last one quit holding my lower dentures after just 2 wks .I only have one implant on the bottom the other one failed and had to be removed.why do they wear out so fast. Thank you Betty

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    • Hmm. With only one implant way too much is being asked of it. The denture has 14 teeth. Usually 4 implants hold best. If the implants are placed well and the denture is right it should last 1-3 years like this.

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  5. mine were placed w/ 3 spread on left side [back to just before center] nothing in the right front and 2 on right side to right rear……. they rock, in place, I cant bite w/ front of teeth, If I do; the back of denture pops out of place, after a week the rubber grommets don’t hold at all !!! I’m on my 3rd set of grommets,,, and I am on my 5th abscess infection in 2 years…… 2 within the last week, one in right rear and one in left front.. Is this normal ???? because if it is they aren’t worth it, nobody should have to deal w/ pain like this

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    • Ugh… I feel so badly for you. It sounds like you obviously had unmet expectations and possibly treatment that was not well planned or executed. The retention of an overdenture can be very complex and I would suggest you see a highly skilled dentist who specializes in implant dentistry to correct your situation.

      There are dentists that specifically focus in this area and of course there are many dentists that just dabble in it.

      Most over dentures are very bulletproof with regards to staying in.

      I hope everything works out for you.

      Very Respectfully,

      Ramsey A. Amin, D.D.S.
      Diplomate of the American Board of Oral Implantology /Implant Dentistry
      Fellow-American Academy of Implant Dentistry

      Reply
    • You can clean it easily… Just use a toothbrush.
      be sure to brush twice daily to avoid tartar building up on or into locator attachments. That will prevent full seating of a dental implant overdenture if tartar is built into the hole.

      Reply

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