When you have a missing tooth or more, you may be in a dilemma of choosing the best options for tooth replacement or restoring your smile. Among the different options for replacing missing teeth, dental implants and dentures are very popular. While they give great and satisfying results, they are more suited for different patients.
WHAT ARE DENTAL IMPLANTS?
Dental implants are tiny titanium prosthetics that stand in to replace missing teeth. These titanium posts act as artificial tooth roots. They are surgically placed in the jawbone and allowed to heal and bond with the jawbone. Once a dental implant heals, it receives an abutment to which we attach an artificial tooth (crown). After placement, the dental implant feels like your normal teeth and can last a lifetime.
WHAT ARE TRADITIONAL DENTURES?
Dentures are prostheses used to replace a large number of teeth at a time. They are metal frameworks placed inside a plastic gum, with the false teeth placed on it. Dental professionals use dentures to replace a whole set of teeth at once. With dentures, we take measurements of your mouth, and use them to create custom fitted dentures for you. These are removable as the patients prefer.
HOW ARE THEY DIFFERENT?
Typically, dental implants replace individual teeth from the roots, while dentures replace an entire row of teeth. Since we place dental implants into the jawbone, they help patients preserve their bone mass and maintain their facial structures. Dentures are removable, so the toothless jawbone gets no stimulation. Over time, this results in bone loss and an altered facial structure. Dental implants generally require that a patient has sufficient jawbone mass before receiving them. To learn more, please, schedule a consultation with us today to determine if you are a suitable candidate for dental implants or dentures.