Dental Implants Vs Dentures- Making the Right Choice

Everyone’s seen those old movies where the grandparents are talking and their dentures slip out and fall to the ground, or the shows where people have to put their teeth in a glass before they go to sleep. While such things might provide comic relief in cinema, in real life, they can be hugely uncomfortable. Dentures are something that have been in use for centuries. In the olden days, they were extremely expensive as they were made out of ivory or bone. Now, even though the cost is cheaper and the materials less objectionable, they still cause plenty of other problems to people who wear them.

The image of a set of teeth slipping out is actually very plausible. Dentures are fixed inside the mouth by using strong adhesives, such as acrylics. And a lot of it has to be applied to make sure that the dentures stay fixed in place. Applying them every morning or twice a day is an arduous process, and has to be done correctly. Keeping them in position is another nuisance. Dentures often slip and move while talking, eating, and the chances of them actually falling out are high. It becomes very embarrassing, especially in public places, and is psychologically very damaging too.

But it’s not just the social drawbacks. Physically, dentures cause serious pressure effects and bruising on the surrounding area, as well as the area on which they are attached. The constant abrasion as well as irritation from the adhesive causes friction leading to ulcers and sores, which can be extremely painful. Even in partial dentures, the adjacent teeth get eroded and decayed because of the pressure effects of the retainer clamps.

In contrast, dental implants are much easier to use and blend it with the rest of the teeth, too. Dental implants look and function like real teeth, without the nuisance of attaching them and fixing them in place. Once your dentist puts the implant securely into your jaw, he can then place a crown on top of them to strengthen and reinforce. Implants are the best permanent solution to resolve the problem of missing teeth. They don’t need to be replaced, they do not require as much cleaning or maintenance as dentures, and there are no pressure effects on the gum or the surrounding teeth.

The other big advantage of using dental implants is that they have no long term effects on the jawbone. The base of the implants helps reinforce the root of the tooth in the jaw, and make it stronger. This helps prevent erosion of the mandible as well. People are often put off by the price of getting implants as dentures are comparatively a lot cheaper. However, if you take into account the cost of buying dentures again and again, buying binding and acrylic glues, and treatments for the side effects, not to mention the long term side effects themselves, dentures are clearly the better option.

To explore your denture and implant options, call (619) 630-7174 for a free consultation