Which Is Better, Implants vs Dentures?

August 14, 2020

  

There are few things that can impact the quality of your life as severely as missing teeth. They make it hard to eat, drink, speak, and even smile - all things that are fundamental to human life. But luckily, medicine has improved and you can now live a happy, smiling life, even if your real teeth don’t want to cooperate. The two most common ways of fixing this are dentures and implants, so let’s take a look at both and see the pros and cons:

What is the difference?

While dentures are a full set of teeth that you attach to your gums and take out either every night or, occasionally, implants are a more permanent solution where the new teeth are attached to the gums and are never removed. You basically get new teeth and you use them just like you would the ones your momma gave you. So how do you choose?

How big is the damage?

If all of your teeth - or most of them - had fallen out, then getting implants would be both very costly and not the most practical solution. That is when dentures are mostly used. However, if you are just replacing a missing tooth, then dental implants are a better way to go because you can just replace it and nobody would be the wiser - yourself included!

How healthy is your mouth?

If your gums or jawline is damaged, then you might not be a suitable candidate for implants, because they are inserted directly into the jawbone. There might be medical reasons why those cases you should opt for dentures, which are more gentle on your mouth and can be removed and thoroughly cleaned whenever needed.

How to choose?

This will depend on several factors, the most important of which is the recommendation of your dentist. They know your mouth better than yourself and they will be able to recommend the best treatment for your teeth. The second thing to consider is cost. While dentures are relatively cheaper to install per tooth, you do need to maintain them with dental adhesive and specialty brushes, while an implant just becomes one of your teeth. Furthermore, dental implants have a very high success rate, about 95%, where dentures often take a while to get used to and need adjustments, on top of not being the most comfortable option all the time.

Can I eat regularly?

Smiling and talking will come naturally with both, but what about eating? With implants, you’ll be able to eat regularly, as if you were using your own teeth. But with dentures, you might have to stay clear of hard foods like nuts and sticky foods like toffee. Always check with your dentist to get the latest recommendations.

There is really no reason why you would be living your life without teeth, as good teeth improve both your mental and physical health, allow you some peace of mind and generally give you a better quality of life. So if you are thinking about which option you should get, schedule an appointment with your dentist today and get that pearly smile.

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