Most people have heard of dentures and dental implants but you may be unfamiliar with the specific details or differences between the two tooth replacements. Read on in this blog from Blue Door Dental to find out what each restoration has to offer and which would be right for you.
Dentures are removable artificial teeth that are used to replace a few or all of the teeth in your mouth. They are created by taking impressions of your mouth and fabricated out of acrylic and porcelain. Partial dentures are used to replace a few missing teeth and hook onto the surrounding teeth with metal clasps.
Full dentures require the extraction of your remaining teeth and are held in through suction. Dentures restore the ability to chew and speak in patients who have extensive tooth loss. Partial dentures also prevent shifting teeth and restore the smile by filling in gaps.
A dental implant involves placing a biocompatible titanium post into the jawbone and later attaching an abutment and dental crown to complete the restoration. It takes 3 to 6 months between the placement of the implant and abutment because the implant needs to fuse with the jawbone through osseointegration before we can perform the second oral surgery.
When the jawbone grows around the implant, it forms an artificial tooth root that stabilizes the restoration and prevents it from ever moving. When you chew, the jawbone also receives stimulation which prevents bone loss by regenerating cells.
Dentures are a very convenient, affordable, and easily accessible tooth replacement that is minimally invasive and doesn’t take a long time. Oral surgery is only required if you are getting full dentures and need to extract some teeth.
Your gums will need 8 to 12 weeks to heal before we can place your dentures. However, partial dentures operate on a much faster timeline. Dentures only last for an average of 7 to 10 years before needing to be replaced.
Dental implants may be more expensive but they also last potentially for life. The lifespan of dental implants with proper care is 25 years to a lifetime. They are the only tooth restoration that can prevent bone loss and prevent facial sagging.
Dentures tend to move around a lot when you eat or speak, but implants will never shift no matter what. In terms of who is a candidate for these restorations, more people are suitable for dentures than implants. You need to have adequate bone support for implants but most people are good candidates for dentures, even if they lack bone support.
The best way to determine if dentures or dental implants are right for you is to come in for a consultation at Blue Door Dental so Dr. Thomas Pacheco can assess the extent of your tooth loss and your goals. We offer full and partial dentures as well as single-tooth and full arch dental implants. Contact us today to schedule a consultation.
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