You have a decision to make: with your real teeth a thing of the past, what sort of substitute will you choose? There’s the option to invest in a set of dentures, but your dental professional also says that you’re a good candidate for dental implants. Others who have faced this decision decided that implants were right for them. Here are a few of the reasons that led them to choose this option rather than going with dentures.
Something That Stays in Place
You’ve known people with dentures, and sometimes heard them discuss what can happen. One of the recurring issues is slippage. Even with the use of a good-quality dental adhesive, a denture plate can slip out of position. While it could happen any time, it’s particularly troublesome when a plate slips in the middle of dinner conversation or any other time when many eyes are on the individual.
This is an issue you would rather avoid. By deciding to go with implants, there are no worries on this front. Implants occupy the same space recently vacated by the teeth roots. Once in position, they are going nowhere.
A Familiar Dental Hygiene Routine
Getting dentures means changing the way you deal with dental hygiene. The plates need to be cleaned and soaked overnight, rinsed the next morning, then secured in place with dental adhesive. Throughout the day, there may be more cleaning and the application of more adhesive. That’s not a routine you’re excited about developing.
By contrast, taking care of implants is a lot like taking care of real teeth. You will still brush after meals, and use mouthwash whenever desired. There’s even dental floss designed for use by people with implants. Instead of having to learn new tricks, you can keep using the same ones that you know so well.
The Natural Look
Appearance is also something that’s one your mind. You do want to go with an option that fits into the mouth properly and looks like the real thing. Given the fact that you’ve seen some sets of dentures that seems a little too large or a little too small, running into the same problem is one that you would prefer to avoid.
The nice thing about implants is that they come with crowns made especially for you. Each crown is shaped and sized to fit perfectly into the space. Once they are secured to the top of each implant, it will be impossible to tell the difference between the implants and a set of natural teeth.
A Longer Lasting Solution
Longevity is another reason that opting for implants instead of dentures makes sense. While there are exceptions, dentures remain a good fit for no more than a decade. More commonly, they should be replaced every seven years. Part of this has to do with wear, but part of it is also due to the fact that the contour of the gums will shift, since there’s nothing in the tooth sockets to help maintain the shape.
Implants are made to last much longer. Depending on the amount of wear and tear that the crowns sustain, you may be able to keep them for as long as 15 years. Even then, it’s just the crowns that must be replaced; the implants proper don’t have to go anywhere.
Saving Money Over Time
The duration of implants versus dentures is also something to think about. Given that implants last so much longer, it’s easier to save money over time. After replacing a set of dentures a couple of times, the amount you continue to spend will likely exceed what you paid for that one set of dental implants.
Don’t forget the cost of dental hygiene supplies. Other than floss, you can use the same products that you have in the past. That’s much easier than using the products that must be included in the care of a set of dentures, and absorbing the expense of those denture resources.
Listen to what your dentist has to say. You already placed your trust in the professional when you agreed to past procedures like a Westfield root canal treatment or adding a crown to take care of a cracked tooth. Once you hear what the professional has to say, making an informed choice will be simple.
