People no longer have to live their whole lives without teeth. You’re lucky that there are many ways to replace your teeth, with dentures and dental implants being the most common. This blog will give you a quick overview of dental implants and dentures so you can decide which one is best for you.
Implants Vs. Dentures
There are a few ways to replace one or more missing teeth, such as with dentures or implants. Choosing the right solution depends on a number of things, such as price, personal preference, and the health of your jawbone and remaining teeth. Both of them have their own pros and cons, so it’s important to talk to your dentist about your options in detail. Also, dental bridges are a good alternative that you should look into. In the end, they both do the same thing.
- help you chew foods you might not be able to eat without
- support your facial muscles,
- improve your speech,
- boost your self-esteem
- make you feel less self-conscious by giving you a nice smile
- protect your teeth from damage.
But the two dental solutions are also very different in important ways.
The Difference Between Dental Implants and Dentures
Both dentures and dental implants help you chew food, support your facial muscles, improve your speech, and make you feel more confident. However, there are a few differences between the two. Let’s take a closer look at them before we talk about their pros and cons. This will help you figure out which one is best for you.
What Are Dentures?
Dentures are false teeth that you can take out of your mouth. You can get different kinds of dentures, like ones that replace all the teeth in your upper or lower jaw or just a few.
What Are Dental Implants?
Dentists fix a dental implant by putting a fake root made of metal into the jawbone. A crown, which looks like a tooth, is on the top. Since you can’t remove them, you can consider them permanent tooth replacements. There are also many different kinds of dental implants to choose from.
Why Choose Dental Implants?
Overall, dental implants might be right for you if you:
- Have healthy gums and enough bone in your jaw to hold the implants in place.
- Don’t have any health problems that would slow your recovery from surgery.
- Need to replace one or more teeth.
- Don’t smoke.
Pros of Dental Implants
- Dental implants work more than 95% of the time.
- They are the same as natural teeth, so you don’t have to do anything special.
- They keep the face and jawbones from breaking down.
- Just like natural teeth, implants keep the bone growing (called “osseointegration”), making them even more stable.
Cons of Dental Implants
- They are more expensive than dentures.
- Most insurance companies won’t cover dental implants because they are mostly cosmetic.
- Dental implants only work for some people because they need healthy bones and gums to hold the jaw in place. Bone and tissue grafts can be done to make them possible, but it’s important to remember that extra procedures raise the overall cost of implants.
Why Choose Dentures?
Generally, candidates for dentures are patients who:
- Want to replace some or all of their teeth?
- Don’t smoke or use other tobacco products.
- Don’t have a dry mouth.
- Are willing to put in the time and work needed to care for their dentures properly at home.
Pros of Dentures
- Dentures are less expensive, and insurance usually covers them.
- Unlike implants, dentures can be a great way to replace teeth for people who have lost bone.
- The process of getting dentures is smooth and safe.
Cons of Dentures
- Because your face and gums change as you age, you may need to have your dentures fixed or replaced.
- Dentures can feel big at first and make you feel uncomfortable. Some patients also get more saliva, have trouble chewing, and have trouble speaking.
- Dentures need cleaning carefully every day to keep the mouth and gums from getting infected.
The Best Dental Implants in Toronto
As with any health decision, deciding between dentures and implants should be done carefully and with the help of our experienced dental team. The best way to get started is to contact us at our office in Richmond Hill, Ontario. Call us today, and we’ll answer any questions you might have.