Dentures vs. Dental Implants: Pros and Cons
The Two Players
In modern dental medicine, you have two options to fill in for missing teeth: the traditional dentures, and the newer technology, dental implants. These are both distinct in their construction and positioning within your mouth. However, perhaps the most intimidating thing about this choice is the projected cost of either procedure. To help make this decision easier for you, we’ll try to explain the pros and cons of either procedure. Remember, however, every mouth is different, and your best bet is to contact us for an appointment before making your final decision.
Why Consider Dentures and Implants?
Before you make a decision, it’s important to understand how urgent it is for you to replace your teeth. When you’ve lost teeth, it’s not only a cosmetic concern for your smile. Missing teeth could cause adverse effects with your speech and food consumption. Missing teeth also drastically changes some of the necessary natural pressure on teeth in your mouth. This change in pressure of the teeth may begin the slow loss of bone density in the mouth. Therefore, it’s critical that you make a decision about replacing your missing teeth as soon as possible.
Why Dentures?
Dentures are a tried and true method of tooth replacement that serves as an affordable and easily replaceable option for missing teeth. Dentures work by resting a replacement tooth on top of existing gum and fastening them to adjacent teeth or onto a precision-crafted crown that you wear in your mouth. While they can in some cases restrict diet options, they are easy to clean and replace if damaged. They are also the accepted solution for multiple tooth replacements, as the increase in cost for one tooth to multiple teeth is far less expensive than for dental implants. The procedure for getting a pair of dentures requires no surgery, and can be as short as a single session with Dr. Ahmed.
- Pros: Affordable, easily replaceable, no surgery, good for multiple teeth
- Cons: Diet restrictive, need to be replaced more often, may need to be adjusted occasionally
Why Dental Implants?
Dental implants are a relatively new technology for tooth replacement that tends to have a longer longevity than dentures. These implants work by having titanium anchors surgically placed into the jaw to mimic natural tooth roots onto which the artificial teeth are fastened. These can either be fixed or removable, and are subject to less dietary restrictions than are dentures. While this procedure is a solid choice for tooth replacement, it’s not as feasible for multiple tooth replacement as dentures are.
- Pros: Durable, good for single teeth, stable teeth setting, look more like natural teeth, long-term
- Cons: Requires surgery, multiple visits to the dentist
Missing teeth can be an eye sore, or even a tooth sore if you wait too long. If you need to fill in for missing teeth, Dr. Saeed Ahmed and his team at Alpha Dental in Nashua, NH can help point you in the right direction for your needs with fair and informed advice. We know how important your teeth are to you. Call or make an appointment online, and ask us about our restorative procedures including bridge dentures and implant restoration.