Implants vs Dentures – What’s Best for a Tooth Replacement?

Replacing missing teeth is essential to be able to bite and chew your food, smile confidently and preserve facial harmony. When it comes to the question of how to replace them, patients have quite a few dentistry options, but not every option is suitable for every patient. Today we are going to look at implants vs dentures, and when a denture is the most effective option.

Understanding Implants Vs Dentures: How They Work?

Dentures are removable artificial or false teeth. By today’s standards, they fit better and are more comfortable than ever before, especially thanks to advances in digital dentures. Dentures are more cost-effective and affordable than tooth implants, and repairs and relines can be done efficiently.

Tooth implants are permanent and are surgically placed in your jaw bone. They have a high success rate however their cost, inconvenience and patient downtime are barriers for many patients.

Implants Vs Dentures Pros And Cons: What’s Best For You?

Consider the time factor

A dental implants procedure can take 18 months to complete, and not everyone wants to wait this long for a tooth replacement. Getting your dentures made can take a week or 10 days, during which time you’ll be fitted with a temporary denture.

Consider the convenience (or lack thereof)

Tooth implants require several visits to the dentist, and several mini-surgical procedures, after which you need to undergo a healing period, which means downtime. Getting a denture made and fitted is a non-invasive procedure that requires very little from you, and which can be completed in one or two visits to your dental practitioner.

How thick is your jaw bone?

Patients who have lost teeth some time ago are likely to experience underlying bone loss, which could mean that you are not a candidate for tooth implants, or that you need a bone graft before you can proceed. This makes the dental implant procedure longer, more expensive and requires another healing period.

Do you have any co-occurring conditions?

Some patients will not be considered eligible for dental implants because they might have:

• Diabetes: if you have diabetes and it is not under control you won’t be able to have dental implants because your condition can interfere with your body’s ability to heal
• Gum disease: patients who have active or progressing gum disease cannot have dental implants.

Older patients and patients with co-occurring conditions may not be candidates for dental implants because of their risk factors.

Smokers are generally not candidates for dental implants because your risk of infection is high and healing will be compromised, leading to a high risk of implant failure.

What’s Best For You?

If the cost, invasiveness and inconvenience of implants are prohibitive for you, wearing dentures is a more effective long term solution. Patients who have co-occurring conditions and those who cannot wait for a dental implant procedure will do better with dentures.

To find out more about implants vs dentures and how a denture could improve your quality of life please contact us for an appointment:

Buderim: (07) 5317 1023
Caloundra: (07) 5315 8076

References

How to Choose Dentures or Implants — and Why
https://www.healthline.com/health/dentures-vs-implants