When are Dentures a Good Option?

Dental treatments are a big investment that affect your self-confidence and provide an important function to the overall health of your body. Whether it be by an emergency event or aging and decay, you may find yourself needing to replace one or more of your teeth. At this point, you may wonder if dentures are a good option.

How are Dentures and Implants Different?

Dentures and dental implants are the two main options for treatment that dentists recommend to replace teeth in your mouth. Dentures are less permanent and must be taken out of your mouth to clean each day. Implants require a surgical procedure, but typically last the rest of your lifetime.

Benefits of Dentures

Overall, dentures are much more affordable than dental implants. Because of the time and process it takes to create and install the implants, they have a higher price tag. If you are looking for a more cost effective way to improve your smile, dentures may be the better option.

Implants require surgery and several visits to your dentist affix them permanently in your mouth. Dentures on the other hand, are less invasive and can be done in a much shorter timeline.

In order to qualify for dental implants, a patient must have healthy gums and a strong jawbone. Dentists often recommend dentures if patients do not meet this criteria since they sit on the gums rather than being surgically fused to the bone. Dentures are likely a better option for patients with poor oral health.

What to Expect

Your dentist will likely suggest partial dentures or dental implants if you experience a trauma where you lose one or more teeth. As you age, your dentist may also suggest these treatments if your teeth have a lot of decay and cause issues such as pain or enamel loss. At this time, your dentist will provide a consultation to determine the best course of action for your treatment.

If you both decide that dentures are the best route, your dentist will begin by extracting any problematic teeth that remain. This may be a few or all of your teeth depending on the circumstances. Once the teeth have been removed, your gums will need time to heal. Your dentist will create a wax impression to send to a lab so your dentures can be custom-made for your mouth. During this transition time, your dentist may suggest temporary dentures. Once your gums have healed and your dentures created, it’s time for the fitting. Some adjustments may need to be made for the perfect fit. Once you have made all the adjustments, you will have your final product. For the first few weeks, you may need to get used to how they feel and function in your mouth. Once they feel great, regular maintenance will help keep them in tip top shape for years to come.

Dentures may be a good option for certain patients. You should always consult your dentist to talk through your specific needs when it comes to big investments in your oral health. Our dentists at Dental Remedies can provide you with a full consultation to discuss all your options to restore your smile to perfection. Contact us today to speak with one of our representatives.