Dental Implants vs Dentures

When a patient is missing teeth and has very healthy bones and gums, most dental professionals will suggest dental implants. If patients do not have a sound dental structure, meaning weak gums or bones, dentures may be a better, less invasive option.

Dental implants last much longer than most other dental replacement options, and they are considered permanent. When cared for properly, dental implants can work just as good as or better than your natural teeth.

A dental implant starts with a titanium rod surgically placed into the jawbone where the root of the former tooth was. The titanium will then fuse with the bone, creating a permanent, strong, and realistic-looking and feeling replacement.

The body tends to tolerate titanium well, while dentures are made from other metals and plastic that can irritate gum tissue.

Dentures are prosthetic teeth. The quality of dentures has definitely improved over the years, but they still are not the first choice for many dental professionals.

Dentures sit on the gum line and will eventually move around which can actually lead to bone loss because they never make contact with your jaw bone, which causes it to deteriorate. This makes eating and talking noisy and awkward.

Dentures always need to be refitted and/or replaced at some point – often more than once, which is costly over time. If dentures do not fit correctly they can harbor bacteria and can promote infections and deterioration of surrounding teeth.

For patients who want a permanent solution that closely mimics the look and feel of natural teeth, we recommend an implant or series of dental implants.

You can find a lot of great information online regarding dentures and dental implants but it can be difficult to make a well informed decision about what is best for your situation without talking to a dental implant professional.

Dr. Matthew Troncone is an experienced member of the The International Team for Implantology. He is always available to answer any questions and there is no obligation when you schedule your free dental implant consultation with us.