The Advantages and Disadvantages of Dental Implants vs Dentures
Missing teeth can lead not only lead to a lack of confidence but can impact on a person’s ability to both eat and talk. However, there is no reason to worry as there are plenty of transformative options to help with missing teeth, including dental implants and dentures.
Both implants and dentures will be able to replace your missing tooth, restoring your ability to talk, eat and, most importantly, smile. But, with both options offering plenty of differences, it’s essential to understand what the treatments involve and what the advantages and disadvantages of dental implants and dentures are to ensure you have the best treatment for you.
What are dentures?
Having been a valid solution for many years, dentures are the more well-known treatment option. They are removable false teeth and can be adjusted to match your mouth’s specific needs as you can opt to have either ‘complete’ or ‘partial’ dentures.
Complete dentures will replace your full set of teeth and are made up of two full arches of upper and lower teeth. Meanwhile, partial dentures will replace just a few teeth which sit on a plate that attaches to natural teeth.
Advantages of dentures
As a treatment, removable dentures certainly have their advantages. The simple solution will effectively replace a missing tooth, ensuring you can eat and talk. By replacing the missing tooth, they’ll also support your facial muscles, ensuring your cheeks don’t begin to look hollow. And, each tooth will be created to appear fairly natural within your mouth, matching the colour and shape of other teeth.
Dentures are also available on the NHS, making them a relatively cheap option for teeth replacement. They’re in the Band 3 payment category, putting the price at £269.30, and all denture repairs are free of charge.
Another leading advantage of dentures is the lack of surgical procedures involved. For many, trips to the dentist can be stressful, so this is would make them the ideal solution for those who experience anxiety about dental treatments.
Disadvantages of dentures
As with any treatment, dentures also have their disadvantages. There can be a long adjustment period involved as the denture plates can take some time to get accustomed to. Likewise, it can be a strange sensation to start speaking and eating with dentures in your mouth initially, and it will take some practice.
Dentures can also require a lot of additional effort. They require regular and thorough cleaning as food and other debris can get stuck to them while they’re in your mouth. And, when they’re taken out of your mouth, they must be stored correctly to ensure they remain to be in tip-top condition.
Many denture wearers also find that their mouth and jaw changes shape over time, so you’ll likely need to replace them over time. They must be replaced if this happens as an ill-fitting denture can lead to serious problems, such as gum infections.
What are dental implants?
Dental implants involve a minor surgical procedure but are designed to last for many years. Your dentist will be able to create a false tooth with a colour and shape that naturally fits in with the rest of your teeth.
The procedure will see your dentist place a metal root where the missing tooth used to sit. The metal root will then act as an anchor for a replacement tooth to sit on. However, while a singular missing tooth will require one anchor, depending on your mouth and needs, a full set of teeth may only need a couple of metal roots to be installed.
Advantages of implants
Dental implants boast plenty of benefits. Again, they’ll ensure you can eat, talk and smile with confidence by effectively replacing a missing tooth. They’ll also support your facial muscles to prevent a hollow appearance in your cheeks.
Implants also have the benefit of not putting strain other remain teeth because they’ll be anchored within the jaw, rather than holding onto other teeth. In addition to this, your dentist will be able to make the replacement tooth in the exact image of the tooth it is replacing, ensuring you keep a completely natural smile.
They’re also a lifetime solution as, if cared for properly, they can last for many, many years. Should they ever break or chip, they can be replaced very easily without requiring surgery as the tooth will simply unscrew from the anchor.
Disadvantages of implants
Of course, there are disadvantages too. As a lifelong option, there is more work involved, and the treatment can therefore be more costly. The treatment can also take between 6-9 months to complete as you’ll first have to visit your dentist for a consultation before the teeth are created and the anchor is placed into your mouth.
It will also be essential to be extra conscious during cleaning. To ensure they last a lifetime, it will be crucial to maintain the health of the gums surrounding the implant, but regular trips to a hygienist will enable you to do this with ease.
Dentures vs dental implants
Both treatments have their own advantages and disadvantages, but to decide on the best treatment for you, it’s crucial to factor in what is most important for you.
For starters, dentures can be a cheaper option that’s more friendly on your bank balance as dental implants will be more of an investment. Dental implants can also initially involve more time as there will be a few trips to the dentist, while dentures may require more consultations further down the line when they’re being replaced.
It’s also important to be aware of adjustment periods and what would suit your lifestyle. For example, while dental implants may require a couple of weeks of healing time, dentures can take just as much time to get used to having them in your mouth and can lead to difficulties in speaking due to increased saliva production. Similarly, eating can be a struggle as biting on harder foods can dislodge the denture.
Your dentist will be able to discuss all of the pros and cons with you, taking into consideration your individual mouth and needs to help you come to the best decision.
For further reading take a look at our guide on How to Replace Missing Teeth