Which restorative option is best for your smile?
Sadly, tooth loss effects a considerable percentage of the population every day. But the good news is, modern dentistry offers us many restorative options to choose from to help us get back the smiles we once had and enjoyed.
While dental implants are always the superior option for tooth replacement, dentures can also provide a life-changing result for the right candidate.
In this article, let’s compare dental implants to dentures using the following factors below.
First things first, an ideal candidate for dental implants will generally be different from an ideal candidate for dentures. They’ll usually have different oral health situations, and different restorative dental needs.
With that said, the typical candidate for dental implants will have one or several, but not all teeth missing - though it is possible to replace most of or every missing tooth with a dental implant. Dentures are better suited for patients that have all or most of their teeth missing, as it would be quite an expensive and invasive process to replace an entire smile with dental implants alone.
Dental implants are fixed and permanent; surgically implanted by our Thornhill dentist into the jaw to mimic a natural tooth root - whereas dentures should be removed and stored safely every night before sleep.
A dental implant functions essentially just like a natural tooth does, as it consists of an artificial tooth root component in addition to the artificial tooth itself. Therefor, because it is as close to a natural tooth as a dental restoration can get, it is also the most comfortable and natural-feeling - especially when it comes to chewing.
Dentures, on the other hand, can take quite some time to get used to - and while they will begin to feel more comfortable over time, cannot compare to the natural tooth-like quality of a permanently implanted restoration.
Dental implants have an incredibly high (over 90%) success rate, with the the ability to last an entire lifetime with proper daily oral hygiene care! In contrast, dentures require daily maintenance and cleaning as well, but may also require periodic re-adjustment as they are subject to losing their custom shape and perfect fit with the jaw over time.
Nothing compares to the natural tooth-like aesthetic and feel of a dental implant, but dentures are also crafted to suit the wearer and appear very natural-looking, as well (artificial gums and all!)
At the end of the day, every dental professional agrees that dental implants make the most ideal restoration, as they mimic the natural tooth the closest, and are permanent and securely fixed to the jaw - ready for a lifetime of use!
But, dentures also make a wonderful option for the right candidate, and can successfully restore chewing and speech function, while also restoring one’s appearance and confidence.
When it comes to any restorative dental procedure, our dentist in Thornhill is here to help. Contact Thornhill Smiles Dental today to schedule a dental implants consultation, dentures consultation, or to inquire about any of our services that can help restore your smile back to a smile you can be proud about!