Dentures or Dental Implants?

Posted: May 19, 2020 in

As we get older, our teeth become less and less reliable. It seems no matter how often you floss, brush, and rinse, your teeth are determined to decay. If you’ve already lost one or more teeth to age or even trauma-related causes, your dentist might have talked to you about dental implants or dentures.
Both these dental technologies can offer you increased comfort and a healthier smile. But which should you choose to replace your teeth? Let’s take a look at how dentures and dental implants work and the pros and cons of each system.

Dentures

Dentures often carry negative associations. However, you’ll find better technology today than you saw in your grandpa’s false teeth. Modern dentures can be made to look just like, or better than, your natural teeth. You’ll also find a variety of adhesives, cleaners, and aids to help you wear dentures successfully.

Denture Pros

As compared to dental implants, dentures carry one major advantage: cost. A set of dentures will cost you significantly less than dental implants. However, they do have a shorter lifespan.
Dentures also work well for people who have weak or unhealthy jaws. Loss of teeth and other medical conditions can cause your jaw bone to deteriorate. If you don’t have a healthy jaw, dentures will work better for you than implants.

Denture Cons

Dentures come with a great deal of inconvenience. Without a proper adhesive, they slip and slide around your mouth. They can also affect how well you can chew, talk, and taste your food.

Dentures also require special maintenance. You will need to remove them often and clean them with a special solution. You can’t brush dentures just like regular teeth.

If you and your dentist decide full or partial dentures are the best option for your mouth, make sure you get a well-fitting set for the best possible comfort. You can also get denture implants for increased comfort and stability if you want to stick with dentures, but dislike how much they move around.

Dental Implants

Dental implants present a comfortable alternative to traditional dentures. These false teeth are anchored in your jaw and permanently set in your mouth. Your dentist will use a series of surgical procedures to implant the various parts of the false tooth (or teeth), until you have a complete smile again.

Dental Implant Pros

Dental Implants come with a long list of advantages over dentures, including:

Stability

As opposed to dentures, you never have to worry about dental implants slipping or sliding around your mouth. You don’t have to put on bonding gel and try to make the teeth form a tight seal. These teeth will stay firmly in place, with no adhesives necessary.

Maintenance

Also unlike dentures, you don’t have to worry about any special maintenance with dental implants. You can treat these just like your regular teeth. Brush and floss your implants regularly and they’ll stay clean and healthy. These false teeth also can’t develop cavities, which means, no more worries about tooth decay.

Function

Although technology has come a long way in producing lifelike dentures, implants still take the cake for authenticity. No one will be able to tell you’ve replaced your natural teeth with fakes. Except for the fact that your new teeth look significantly better than your old ones.

Dental implants give you a beautiful, natural-looking smile you can wear for decades.

Lifespan

Dentures usually last between five and eight years, depending on your individual mouth and how well you care for them. Dental implants give you a longer lifespan, with these teeth lasting anywhere from 10 to 15 years.

Jaw Health

Dental implants carry the additional benefit of protecting your jaw as well as your mouth. Since the posts for the implants are set into your jaw, they stimulate your bone. Stimulation helps promote natural bone growth and prevents demineralization and deterioration.

Your gums will also stay healthier with dental implants than with dentures.

Dental Implant Cons

The main disadvantages for dental implants are time and cost. Dentures take time to make, and your gums have to completely heal from any tooth extractions. However, implants usually take even longer and require several surgeries.

Implants also cost significantly more than dentures, with a mouthful of implants typically costing tens of thousands of dollars. However, these costs are less imposing if you only need one or two teeth replaced. In this situation, your surrounding teeth will also stay healthier with implants than with partial dentures.

Where comfort, maintenance, and lifespan are concerned, implants present a better option for patients than dentures. However, if you’re concerned about cost or don’t have a stable jawbone, you can find a lifelike set of high-quality dentures to suit your needs.

Talk to your dentist at Woodcreek Dental Centre about which option is right for your mouth and get started on your new smile.