Choosing Between Dentures and Dental Implants
Restoring Lost Teeth
If you are looking to restore your lost teeth, you are not alone. According to a study by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly one-fourth of the U.S. adults aged 65 years or more have lost all of their teeth. The loss of teeth due to any reason, including age, injuries or oral diseases affects a person in several ways such as:
- Cosmetic problems leading to loss of confidence
- Malnutrition because of the inability to eat nutritious foods that require chewing
- Impaired speech
- Undesirable changes in facial structure
The good news is that this problem can be fixed. One can either use complete or partial dentures or go for dental implants. There are several factors that must be evaluated before making a choice between these two options.
What are Dentures?
Dentures are removable replacement teeth and come in two forms – complete and partial. Complete dentures are used by people who have lost all of the teeth on any of the arches. Conventional complete dentures are made only after the teeth have been removed and gum tissues have healed. It takes about two to three months time for teeth replacement using conventional complete dentures. If there are some teeth remaining on a particular arch then partial dentures are used to replace the missing teeth.
What are Dental Implants?
Dental Implants are alternative to dentures for teeth replacement. Usually made of Titanium, implants are posts that are surgically fitted in the jawbone. Once the implant has been placed, the bone around the implant starts healing and growing around the implant. This process, called Osseointegration, can take few days to several months to complete. Once Osseointegration is complete, artificial tooth or teeth may be placed on the implant.
Comparing Between Dentures and Dental Implants
Both dentures and implants have their pros and cons. A thorough comparison will help you decide what to choose. The factors that one must evaluate for making a choice are:
Bonding: The bond between jawbone and dentures is loose and that causes slippages and movement of dentures. The implants are firmly placed inside jawbone making them stable. Strong bonding fixes problems in eating and speaking.
Comfort: Dentures may cause discomfort, irritation, and sometimes sores. Dental implants, once fixed properly, don’t cause any discomfort or sores. Implants are bio-acceptable and don’t cause allergies or irritation.
Time: Dental implants take longer than dentures to get fitted.
Cost: Implants have a higher one-time cost. Dentures, on the other hand, cost lesser than implants, but, may require several visits to the dentist and need rebuilding, refitting etc.
If you are planning to get teeth replacement, it is advisable to compare dental products and then make an informed decision between implants and dentures.
