You have just lost a tooth or teeth recently. Having that gap after losing a tooth looks and feels strange so you have been thinking about how you should replace it. For missing teeth, there are two popular options – dental implants or dentures. Both these two dental options are great but you have to remember that there is no one size fits all. What works well for one person might not work well with another one. So, what dental option is good for you? What dental solution will fit you best?
Before you decide between partial dentures and implant, it is important that you know these two first. Read on to learn more about partial dentures and implants; and their differences.
Partial Dentures
Dentures are replacements for missing teeth that can be taken out and put back again when you want to. There are two types of dentures – full dentures and partial dentures. Partial denture is a type of denture that has a replacement tooth or teeth attached to a pink plastic base serving as the gum. It is done if you have remaining teeth in the jaw because it is where the dentures rely for support and retention.
When you have one or more teeth missing, the bite pressure when eating becomes unbalanced. Eventually, the soft tissues and the bone that supported your missing teeth may also begin to shrink, resulting to a hallow appearance on your cheeks or the front of your mouth. However, all of these can be prevented with partial dentures.
The downside of partial dentures is that it may take time for you to get comfortable wearing it. And since you get support from healthy adjacent teeth, pressure can build from the movement of your partial dentures, which may lead to vulnerability and trauma in the adjacent teeth.
Dental Implants
If you lose one or more teeth and your gums and jaw are healthy enough, then you can consider getting dental implants. It is a titanium fixture which is directly linked to your jawbone thru surgery as a replacement for your missing teeth. One of the many benefits of dental implants is that it reduces the occurrence of bone loss in the area of the missing teeth. As long as you observe good oral hygiene, your dental implants can last for up to two decades.
Since dental implants are more durable and offer more natural-looking teeth, it is also more expensive than partial dentures. It will also take time for the fixtures to totally fuse with your jawbone so you have to be extra careful with your oral health to avoid infections.
Partial Dentures vs. Implants
Some patients may love partial dentures due to a variety of reasons which may include the simplicity in using it, removing it, and s relatively inexpensive too. Some patients may also prefer dental implants because they look and feel like real teeth.
When deciding what’s right for you, it is important that you determine your needs, your budget, health and other factors too. It is always important to discuss your options with your dentist to learn more about what is right for you.