Dental Implants Or Dentures?

When you lose a tooth, which of the above options is most suitable for you?

Everyone hopes that they never lose a tooth during their lifetime; very few people achieve this though. Whether it is through not looking after teeth as well as we should do in our earlier years or whether a tooth gets damaged by accident, the likelihood is that we will all face this dilemma at some time in our life.

We acknowledge that leaving a gap in the teeth is an option when a tooth comes out, but it isn’t one that we recommend. Aside from any aesthetic concerns, not replacing a missing tooth can have a number of effects including putting additional strain on other teeth; often teeth that weren’t designed to do the job of the missing tooth, and also crooked teeth caused by others encroaching into the vacant space. A visible tooth is more likely to be replaced, although we recommend that all missing teeth should be to help preserve ongoing mouth functionality and smile aesthetics.

Dental implants Vs dentures

There are a number of arguments to be made for both tooth replacement methods. In today’s blog, your local Ipswich dentists takes a look at these arguments so that you can make an informed choice if and when the time comes.

Cost implications

With energy and other costs still running high, it is not surprising that cost is a factor for many of our patients. On the surface of it, there can be no doubt that dentures can be, initially anyway, significantly cheaper than having a dental implant placed. However, against this, dentures tend to break or need adjusting over time as the face shape changes. Over the lifetime of a dental implant (more on that shortly), the cost of having dentures can add up and it may not turn out to be cost effective in the longer term. For those who don’t necessarily have the immediate cash to pay for an implant placement ‘up front’, the Foxhall Dental Practice offers a range of finance schemes to help you spread the cost of the treatment.

The procedure

The tooth implant procedure can deter some people from having them. It does require an invasive procedure which can seem a little ‘scary’ to some patients. The reality is that the treatment requires the placing of an implant into the jawbone which allows it to fuse with the bone before a new crown is finally attached. Patients shouldn’t be deterred from this though and the procedure should cause no more discomfort than some other invasive procedures. You will be in the hands of an experienced team who will ensure that you are made as comfortable as possible throughout it.

For those patients whose level of anxiety is extremely high, dentures don’t usually require any dental surgery and can be a popular choice in this situation. The ‘payoff’ though, is that you won’t benefit from the advantages that teeth implants provide which we will now discuss.

Stability

Dentures sit on the gums in the mouth, sometimes attached with clips or denture adhesive. A good number of denture wearers do report issues with stability with the dentures moving around in the mouth. This can not only be embarrassing on social occasions but can cause problems when eating and sometimes with speech. Constant movement can also cause the gums to become sore and sometimes quite painfully so.

Dental implants on the other hand, offer a fantastic level of stability. This is due to the fact that the robust tooth implant replaces the tooth root and, once integrated with the bone, will hold the crown securely in place. People with implants can eat what they want without having to worry about whether they will move around when they do.

Strength

Through the use of good quality materials, both in the implant and the crown, you can be sure that your new implant will remain strong. You will still need to brush and floss around it though as gum diseases and peri-implantitis can cause the implant to become loose and fail. This doesn’t require any special care though and brushing, flossing and hygienist visits should be enough to keep your dental implant strong and healthy for years to come.

Whilst dentures are relatively strong, they need to be removed from the mouth for cleaning. Unfortunately, this sometimes leads to them being dropped and needing repair.

Longevity

So how long does a dental implant last? In a nutshell and with good care, we say that they can last twenty years or so. This is a conservative estimate though and many implant wearers find that they are going strong long after this. In fact, the very first dental implant patient, Gösta Larsson, had his implants placed in 1965. He died in 2006 with all four dental implants that were placed at the time still fully intact! As you can see then, although the initial treatment might seem quite daunting, the long term benefits are excellent for those who look after them.

We hope that this blog answers some of the key questions that our Ipswich patients might have. If you have further questions about dental implants, or dentures, we are happy to see you for an initial consultation where you can discuss this with the implant dentist. To book your consultation with us, please call the Foxhall Dental Clinic on 01473 258396.