Should you get dental implants or dentures?

Despite improvements in dental care, millions of Americans suffer tooth loss—mostly due to tooth decay, gum disease or injury. If you’ve lost teeth, you can do something about it. Missing teeth can be replaced with dental implants, bridges or dentures. Each option has its pros and cons, depending on the health of your teeth and your budget.

The pros for dental implants include:

• Improved appearance. Dental implants look and feel like your own teeth. And because they are designed to fuse with bone, they become permanent.
• Improved speech. With poor-fitting dentures, the teeth can slip within the mouth causing you to mumble or slur your words. Dental implants allow you to speak without the worry that teeth might slip.
• Improved comfort. Because they become part of you, implants eliminate the discomfort of removable dentures.
• Easier eating. Sliding dentures can make chewing difficult. Dental implants function like your own teeth, allowing you to eat your favorite foods with confidence and without pain.
• Improved oral health. Dental implants don’t require reducing other teeth, as a tooth-supported bridge does. Because nearby teeth are not altered to support the implant, more of your own teeth are left intact, improving long-term oral health. Individual implants also allow easier access between teeth, improving oral hygiene.
• Durability. Implants are very durable and will last many years. With good care, many implants last a lifetime.
• Convenience. Removable dentures are just that; removable. Dental implants eliminate the inconvenience of removing dentures, as well as the need for messy adhesives to keep them in place.

The advantages of bridges over dental implants include:

• Dental Implants can take longer to place. From extraction to healing to implant placement, it can be several months before you get a functional crown
• Getting dental implants requires undergoing a surgical procedure.
• The initial cost of a fixed bridge will be much less than the cost of an implant.
  Dental implants are becoming the alternative to dentures but not everyone is a candidate for implants. If you’re ready to get your smile back, talk to your dentist Maricopa Dental Office about the best option for you.