In the wake of tooth loss, putting the bite back in your smile (and bite!) is a top priority.
Replacing teeth lost to injury or decay is vital to long-term oral health and smile aesthetics. Fortunately, thanks to advances in dental science, several options, including dental implants and dentures, are available for restoring the form, function, and visual appeal of a person’s smile and bite.
We’re examining these two popular and effective long-term tooth replacement options, considering their many benefits and potential downsides and how they compare to one another.
Dental Implants: The Gold Standard
Dental implants are widely considered the gold standard for tooth loss treatment. These tiny titanium pegs are implanted in the empty socket in a person’s jawbone and provide a permanent, natural-feeling, and functioning replacement for natural tooth roots.
Among the many benefits of dental implants, first and foremost is their awesome durability. Properly placed implants often last multiple decades and can even last a lifetime without retreatment. Once an implant is placed and fuses permanently with the jawbone via osseointegration, it provides a strong and stable foundation for dental crowns or bridges that can fully restore biting, chewing, and speaking functions. Also, implants don’t rely on adjacent teeth for support, preserving their integrity while keeping them from shifting out of alignment.
Finally, by addressing tooth loss at the root, dental implants provide crucial stimulation that preserves jawbone density, which can deteriorate after tooth loss. This, in turn, preserves bite integrity and prevents sagging or drooping in facial muscles.
Dental Implants vs. Dentures
Dentures, meanwhile, are another popular and effective solution for tooth loss. Available in full “arches” or as partial sets of teeth, dentures offer their own collection of benefits:
- They are removable, facilitating easier care for both the dentures and the patient’s gums.
- Getting dentures is non-invasive and faster than tooth replacement with a dental implant and crown.
- Full and partial dentures' versatility makes them a great option for patients with varying degrees of tooth loss.
- Dentures are generally less expensive than other tooth replacement solutions like implants or bridges.
It is worth noting, however, that dentures do present their own drawbacks. They are less comfortable in the mouth than implants and bridges. Relatedly, they provide a less stable foundation for biting and chewing than implants and also require regular adjustments and adhesive for stability in the mouth. Also, like bridges, dentures don’t address the jawbone deterioration that often accompanies tooth loss.
Precise Placing Dental Implants in El Dorado Hills, CA
Are you looking for a dentist in El Dorado Hills to guide you through your tooth replacement options and precisely place your preferred solution, whether dental implants or dentures, to restore your smile and bite? Don’t just Google “dentist in 95762” and take your chances; contact Dr. Mohamad Albik and the friendly and highly skilled El Dorado Gordon Dental Associates team today to schedule a consultation!