Reliable Implant Solutions & Faster Treatment Times

Dental implants are strong, stable, and help protect you from tooth loss-related health issues, which makes them the most often favored option for tooth replacement. However, individuals who are missing multiple teeth or even entire arches of teeth may find that having individual implants installed for each missing tooth is too impractical for several reasons. 

More implants mean longer healing periods and increased chances for post-surgical complications. Fortunately, implant solutions have become more varied and accessible over time. At Tharp and Klaus Dental Clinic, our dentists can fully restore your smile using a minimal amount of implants and a single, sturdy restoration with a milled-bar overdenture or a Prettau full mouth dental implant bridge.

What is a Milled-Bar Overdenture?

A milled-bar overdenture is an implant-supported, full denture restoration that provides patients with a stable and stylish solution for their missing teeth. Normally, an overdenture would be attached to multiple, individual dental implants. A milled-bar overdenture attaches to a single bar that links multiple implants. 

The Benefits of Milled-Bar Overdentures

The added support from the dentures being placed on a single bar makes them more durable and increases their longevity. The use of the bar—instead of traditional full-arch reconstruction techniques—allows the dental implants on the left side of your mouth to support the ones on the right through an important prosthodontic concept known as cross-arch stabilization. 

The result is an overdenture that functions flawlessly, and due to the nature of cross-arch stabilization, you may even experience bone gain. Bone gain is the opposite of resorption, which is the loss of jawbone density due to a lack of stimulation from a tooth’s root. Bone gain amplifies the stability of your dental implant and in turn your entire smile. 

The Milled-Bar Overdenture Process

1. Before you can receive a milled-bar overdenture, you’ll undergo a consultation with either Dr. Tharp or Dr. Klaus where they’ll evaluate your candidacy by examining your mouth, reviewing your medical history, and asking you what your smile goals are.
2. Once your dentist has confirmed your candidacy, we’ll take images and make a plaster model of your mouth and send them to a special lab where your dentures will be manufactured.   
3. During your next appointment, we’ll clean your mouth and numb the surgical site with a local anesthetic. 
4. Once we’ve ensured your anesthetic is working, either Dr. Tharp or Dr. Klaus will surgically insert two to five dental implants into your jawbone. You’ll return to have your bar set once your implants have fully fused to your jawbone in a process called osseointegration. 
5. When you return, your bar is set on the implants, connecting all the implants in one arch. Each bar is custom-designed for the patient to reduce the chances of implant angulation issues.
6. Once your overdenture is set, you can leave our Flowood, MS office with your fully restored smile.  

Prettau Full Mouth Dental Implant Bridge

Milled-bar overdentures are not the only restoration option available that uses fewer implants, while still offering stability, health benefits, and longevity. If you’re missing multiple adjacent teeth, you may qualify for an implant supported Prettau bridge. 

What Is a Prettau Bridge?

A Prettau bridge is a custom-made, full-arch tooth replacement option that’s securely attached to dental implants. What sets Prettau bridges apart from other full arch replacements is that they are made of 100 percent zirconia using the Zirkonzahn® milling system. 

The Benefits of Prettau Bridges

The Zirkonzahn milling system utilizes 3D scans for impressions and measurements, so your bridges are fitted to your exact specifications. Your Prettau bridge will be customized through staining, firing, and glazing to produce an esthetic result that matches your unique dental profile, and provides a strong, attractive, and fully-functional dental prosthetic. Unlike traditional bridges, there are no attachments to wear out, no acrylic to break, and the unique staining and glazing process makes them a beautiful addition to your smile for years to come.  

The Prettau Bridge Process

The process for Prettau bridges is similar to that of milled-bar overdentures, the difference lies in how the restoration is designed and installed. 

1. Once we’ve determined that you’re a candidate for Prettau bridges, we’ll take plaster impressions of your teeth, 3D scans of your face, and other other essential measurements using CAD/CAM (Computer Aided Design and Computer Aided Manufacturing) software. These will be sent to a Zirkonzahn lab, where they will serve as the blueprints for your restoration during the milling process.
2. To prepare your mouth for your custom-made bridge, we’ll apply a local anesthetic, your implants will be surgically inserted, and you’ll return to have your bridge installed after osseointegration has fully taken place.
3. Your custom-made Prettau bridge will be attached to your implants and you’ll leave our Flowood, MS office with your fully restored smile.