Dental Implants vs Dentures

Patients with missing or damaged teeth have many tooth replacement options. Dentures and dental implants are the two popular treatment options. However, a comparison of the two options shows why dental implants are superior. Some of the reasons dental implants come out ahead are comfort, stability, ease of dental hygiene, permanence and better function. Dental implants offer much improved aesthetics and can help restore optimal dental health. Read on to find out more specific ways that dentures compare to dental implants.

Great Oral Health And Better Function

Not all tooth replacement options are created equal when it comes to function. Moreover, if your are missing one or more teeth, your chances of decay and gum disease are increased because the spaces left allow food and bacteria to get trapped. Additionally, those little gaps created by lost teeth allow surrounding teeth to shift and cause both jawbone and jaw muscle deterioration. Dentures are not all bad though. They can give back basic function and fill out the sunken facial appearance to a certain extent. However, they effects are temporary and dentures do not correct any of the other problems listed above. At the same time, dentures can make eating and speaking difficult.

In contrast, dental implants allow your jaw to get healthy exercise from chewing that fixes bone deterioration, restores natural facial appearance and repairs muscle tone. Additionally, dental implants fill spaces between teeth, thereby reducing the risk of tooth decay and gum disease. Dental implants are permanently attached to the jawbone, allowing patients to eat and speak without problems.

No Extra Dental Hygiene Required

Most people have a hard time constantly maintaining dental hygiene with brushing, flossing and regular dentist appointments. Dentures add time to your dental hygiene routine because they can require meticulous cleaning, in addition to your existing dental rountine. And patients that wear dentures know all about the creams, cleaners and adhesives. But even with all these additions intended to enhance use, dentures can still move, become uncomfortable and make regular speaking and eating challenging.

Alternatively, implants allow you to maintain a normal oral hygiene rountine with no extra care required. Additionally, dental implants are permanently attached to your jawbone, meaning they can be maintained just like your natural teeth. Dr. Mortensen recommends brushing your teeth twice a day and flossing at least once a day.

Increased Confidence

In the past, dentures were one of the only options for patients with missing or damaged teeth. And although they may seem like a great option because they let patients eat normally and fill out the sunken appearance of the face, many patients still deal with bite instability, annoying movement, speech problems and having to replace them every 5-7 years. With dental implantsm, just a few visits to Dr. Mortensen, can give you back the confidence in your smile. More importantly, they are permanently attached to your jawbone, so they can last a lifetime, won’t move or become uncomfortable. Come restore your confidence today with dental implants