Dental Implants vs. Dentures: Which Are Better Tooth Replacements?
Missing teeth are nothing to smile about.
If you’re missing a back tooth or two, you might not think it’s a big deal. Gaps that aren’t visible cannot impact your appearance, right? So why would you replace them?
Replacing your missing teeth is actually important for the stability of your mouth. Over time, your jaw will lose bone in the site of the missing tooth and there is a good chance your remainin teeth could experience shifting.
A denture, partial denture or a bridge was at one point the only option to replace missing teeth. Today, dental implants have quickly become a popular alternative.
So which is the better tooth replacement option? Let’s take a closer look at dentures and dental implants to replace missing teeth.
Dental Implants: Stimulate Bone
We just talked about how dentures aren’t able to properly stimulate the bone in your jaw. This means that when you lose your teeth and have either full or partial dentures, the bone in your jaw can begin to recede over time.
With dental implants, the opposite is true. A dental implant consists of a titanium screw inserted into your jaw. This post naturally becomes part of your jaw structure and your body accepts it as a tooth root. This means that with regular use of your teeth, your jaw bone is stimulated and continues to grow.
Why is this important?
Your facial structure is supported by your tooth roots without them, your face can begin to have a caved in or sunken appearance.
Fortunately, you won’t have to worry about any changes in facial structure with dental implants. With dentures, this is more of a concern, especially if you are missing all of your natural teeth.
Dentures: Less Expensive
If you’ve ever heard of dental implants, it’s likely that you’ve also heard of how costly they can be. Dentures are a less expensive alternative. However, they don’t offer all the benefits of dental implants.
Dentures also need to be replaced several times during your lifetime, something that dental implants may never need. Your dentures can break if dropped and will need to be repaired or replaced when this happens. Many people also don’t realize that dentures will need a full replacement every five to ten years regardless of their condition. Why is this?
We talked above about your jawbone shrinking over time as a result of your missing teeth. When this happens, your jaw changes shape, which means your dentures won’t fit the same in five years as they do today.
This is an extra expense although dentures are more cost-friendly upfront.
Dental Implants: A Permanent Replacement
When you’re looking for a more permanent replacement to your natural teeth, Asheville dental implants are your best choice.
Dental implants may never need to be replaced. The titanium post is often connected to a dental crown . This crown if taken care of properly can last upwards of twenty years. This is possibly the only part of your dental implant that will need to be replaced. That’s a lot less than a full replacement of dentures every five to ten years!
Once your dental implant has healed properly it has the potential to last for life. Rejection of dental implants is extremely rare. If you believe you have an allergy to metal, talk with your dentist in Asheville when discussing dental implant options.
To maximize your chances of healing after your dental implant surgery, it’s imperative to not smoke, follow your doctor’s instructions, and keep the area clean. With proper care, these sturdy tooth replacements last for life!
Dentures: Not Always Comfortable
Dentures often get a bad reputation because of their lack of security in your mouth. People with dentures are often afraid that others will realize they have dentures. This is because the only thing anchoring the dentures to your smile is the suction that the dentures are designed to create with your mouth.
Since your upper teeth often have a greater surface area, your dentures are less likely to slide around. People commonly have problems with their lower teeth when wearing dentures. Partial dentures tend to be a little more secure since they are anchored into the mouth with arms that clasp around the neighboring teeth, but these also tend to be more visible.
People who wear dentures may be scared that other people will see their teeth moving around and know they have dentures. When you take advantage of dental implants, your teeth are firmly secure and you don’t have to worry about anything sliding about!
Dental Implants: Sturdy and Secure
Dental implants are permanently secured in your mouth, so you’ll never have to worry about them falling out or sliding. You can still eat all the foods that you enjoyed before with your secure dental implants. The best part is that cleaning your dental implants is just like taking care of your natural teeth just brush and floss!
If you need your entire set of teeth replaced, you may not have to get a dental implant for every single tooth. You may be able to take advantage of all-on-four dental implants, where only four implants are replaced and then restorations of your teeth are placed securely on top.
Regardless, dental implants offer you the option of having a sturdy and secure smile. Patients who have dental implants often experience improved confidence because they know their smile is genuine and no one will be able to tell the difference!
Conclusion
So when it comes to dentures and dental implants, which one would be the best replacement for your natural teeth?
Dental implants offer some huge benefits and are the most secure, natural-looking, and functional replacement to your natural teeth. However, if you decide that dental implants aren’t for you, or would prefer dentures, dentures are still preferable to no teeth or missing teeth!
Talk to your dentist in Asheville about your candidacy for dental implants. Whether you need one dental implant or several, we can talk with you about how well these sturdy tooth replacements would work for your smile.
Don’t skip the dentist just because you’re embarrassed about your smile. We can help. Our professional and friendly staff looks forward to helping your smile be the best it can be!