What is a Locator Attachment?
Locator dentures are made up of several different components that help them provide multiple benefits to patients replacing full rows of teeth with dental prosthetics. The denture itself is made up of a pink acrylic base that supports a row of artificial teeth, which are made of dental acrylic or porcelain that is tinted a natural tooth color. Attached to the denture base, there are plastic locator attachments, small, snap-like mechanisms that attach the denture to dental implants. These dental implants, made of titanium, are surgically implanted into the jawbone. Once the bone heals around the dental implants, fusing to the implant and forging a permanent bond, an attachment abutment is affixed to the implant, above the gum line. This abutment is made of the corresponding snap fixture, which fits into the locator attachment on the denture.
For many patients, traditional removable dentures can cause problems. They often rub against the gums, causing painful lesions, and they can slip out of place and interfere with eating and speaking. When the overdenture is held in the mouth with locator attachments snapped on to dental implants, these problems are eliminated. Locator attachments stabilize the denture, keeping it from slipping and rubbing and supporting secure, comfortable functioning. Because the locator denture is removable, it is easier to keep the oral cavity clean and to maintain or repair the overdenture and the locator attachments. While the dental implants that support the locator denture are permanent dental restorations, the denture itself will require periodic maintenance. The locator attachments will wear out over time and should be replaced as needed; your dentist will review your expected maintenance timeline with you and assess your denture fixtures during routine dental checkups.
To extend the life of your locator attachments, and to keep the oral tissues healthy, the locator overdenture should be removed for sleeping. This allows the oral tissues to breathe and removes unneeded stress from the locator attachments. Additionally, because the prosthetic teeth in a locator overdenture aren’t as resilient as the natural teeth, you should take care to chew more delicately with them. You can, and should, still enjoy a wide variety of delicious, nutritious foods with a locator denture, but take care to avoid crunching down on hard foods like nuts or candy, and don’t try to use your artificial teeth for anything other than eating. A locator denture can be cleaned while still snapped in, brushing much like you would brush your natural teeth, but it’s not uncommon for food debris to get trapped under or around the locator denture, and it may be best to remove the denture for cleaning after you’ve eaten.
If you have existing bite issues, a locator denture may not be recommended, as the uneven forces the denture must bear could cause the artificial teeth to wear unevenly or even fracture, and it can also cause serious issues with the base of the denture and the locator attachments. When these bite issues remain unaddressed, the implants could gradually loosen inside the bone, damaging the bone and encouraging infection, and the implants themselves could also break. Loose implants or implants that are broken require surgical intervention to avoid additional damage to the bone and oral tissue. If you have unaddressed malocclusion, the clinical term for these bite problems, ask your dentist about your dental replacement alternatives. Locator dentures can be a comfortable, convenient, successful option for many patients, and you and your dentist can decide if they’re right for you.