You have two dental arches in your mouth—in your upper jaw (maxilla), and in your lower jaw (mandible). The arch itself is a curved ridge of bone, covered by soft tissues. What people think of as their gums (where their teeth erupt from) is actually a dental arch. When most of the teeth in an arch are damaged or already missing, you'll need dental work to restore your bite. The problem becomes harder to treat the longer you delay it, and full arch rehabilitation may not be as intensive as you think.

Conventional Dentures

Dentures may be the most inexpensive way to replace an entire upper or lower dental arch worth of teeth. But although conventional dentures still have many practical uses, there are better options—which result in a stronger, more natural-looking bite. The pink (gum-colored) denture base plate is designed to match the contours of the soft tissues of your mouth. Once pressed against these soft tissues, some moisture (saliva) creates suction, and the dentures will be as secure as they can be. 

Tooth Roots

Yes, dentures are an option for full arch rehabilitation, but when some natural teeth (however decayed) remain, they must be extracted in order to fit the dentures. The maxilla and mandible lose density when they no longer hold teeth. This bone loss is natural, and it's due to the fact that the bones no longer have to support the bite force experienced by teeth. Bone loss isn't ideal, and dentists try to prevent it by offering restorations that act as natural tooth roots. This tricks the bone into thinking it still has natural teeth attached so it keeps its density. 

Bone Loss

Continuing bone loss can eventually cause your face to look saggy, which is one of the reasons why a dentist will try to avoid it. And even when you need a full dental arch to be rehabilitated and restored, it's possible to avoid bone loss with an overdenture. But what's the difference between a standard denture and an overdenture?

Overdentures

An overdenture is similar to a denture in that it's essentially a set of removable prosthetic teeth. But an overdenture fits over a structure in your mouth in order to secure itself, instead of only relying on suction. The structure could be a number of your remaining natural teeth, which will be reduced in size to accommodate the denture until only their roots are intact. You could also receive dental implants (artificial tooth roots) in your jaw, which will then connect to the overdenture.

This attention to conserving your jawbone will mean that your full arch rehabilitation won't ultimately lead to your face sagging. Your dental arch has been rehabilitated without much intensive work, replacing your teeth while preserving your jaw.