Whether you’ve lost a tooth (or teeth!) due to advanced gum disease, facial injury, or poor oral hygiene, missing teeth should be replaced.
Not only can missing teeth impact your overall self-esteem and confidence, but it is unhealthy for your oral health. When gums are exposed and not protected by teeth, it’s easy for food and bacteria to get stuck in them. Failure to remove these particles could lead to nasty infections, which may be followed by gum disease and other serious conditions such as heart disease and diabetes.
Additionally, tooth loss can impact the structure of your jaw and result in the shifting of your other teeth.
With all this in mind, missing teeth need to be replaced! The two most common and popular options are dental implants and dentures, but which is the better option for you?
When deciding what route to go, here are a few questions to get you started:
Would you prefer a more permanent option?
The biggest difference between dentures and dental implants is that dentures are removable, while implants are fused into your jaw permanently. Made of a titanium screw, which then fuses with your jaw to form a solid attachment, dental implants don’t shift, fall out, or fit loosely.
On the contrary, if not affixed with denture adhesive, dentures are more prone to slipping out of place when eating, speaking, or laughing. Talk about embarrassing!
How healthy are your gums and jaw?
Patients that have healthy and strong gums and jaws are better candidates for dental implants. Unfortunately, gum disease weakens and dissolves tissue and bone, making it nearly impossible for those with unhealthy gums and jaws to be able to support an implant.
Are you interested in saving money long-term?
Dental implants may cost more than dentures, however, this oral investment may end up saving you money over time. Because it’s a more permanent option, they last longer, lead to fewer dental visits, and are much easier to maintain.
Plus, ill-fitting dentures can lead to infection or tooth decay, require special cleaners and adhesives, and will eventually need replacement when they show signs of wear.
Dental implants last as long as natural teeth, making them a worthwhile and cost/time-saving solution!
How important is having pleasant breath?
Whether it’s not cleaning dentures well enough or suffering from dry mouth, it’s common for denture wearers to struggle with chronic halitosis (bad breath!). Because dentures can be removed, it’s also possible for food particles to get trapped in between dentures and gums.
Dental implants are like your natural teeth, so with proper care, bad breath should not be an issue!
Ready to discuss your dental options?
If it’s time to replace a missing tooth, our team is here to discuss the benefits of both dental implants and dentures to determine which is best suited for you. We look forward to working together to ensure that your smile is one you can be proud of.
Call us at (860) 397-6693 or click here to schedule a virtual appointment.
