In recent years, doctors have made tremendous improvements in the restoration of injured and missing teeth. No matter how badly damaged your teeth are or how many missing teeth you have, there is a restoration solution for you. Some of these restoration solutions that dentists highly recommend are dentures and dental implants.

Dentures are natural-looking teeth replacements that can be taken out and put back into your mouth. They are worn to replace missing or lost teeth to enable you to enjoy a smile with enough confidence as well as eat comfortably. Dentures are made of either metal or acrylic material and come in two types. These include a full denture that replaces all your natural teeth in the upper or lower jaw and a partial denture that only fills the spaces left by missing or lost teeth.

A dental implant, on the other hand, is an artificial tooth root that is surgically placed into the jawbone and allowed to fuse with the bone for a period of months. It acts as a replacement for the root of a missing tooth and thus acts as a natural tooth as it stands on its own with great stability without affecting the other teeth next to it. Dental implants are made of titanium which is able to integrate well with the bone thus preventing the development of any complications.

 

What to expect during your denture or dental implant checkups

When you visit your dentist for a checkup, they will conduct an extensive examination. For dentures, the gums will be under close physical examination. The dentist will look for tenderness in your gums and any area with sensitivity or any other oral health issue.

For implants, special attention will be given to confirm that there is no looseness, and alignment of the teeth is also checked. Generally, the checkup will aim to ascertain that the denture or implant is in good condition and functioning properly.

 

What are the differences between dentures and dental implants?

Having looked at what the two dental procedures are, let’s now look at how they differ from each other.

• Using modern-day technology, dentures are tightly and comfortably fixed on your gums. Dental implants, on the other hand, are fixed to your jawbone, just like your natural teeth.
• Dentures may need to be replaced every few years while dental implants are more durable and can last many years or even a lifetime.
• Dentures are less expensive upfront but attract additional costs over time. Dental implants call for a higher investment upfront, with little to no maintenance costs over time.
• Dentures may take you time to get used to until you can eventually feel comfortable. However, with dental implants, you function and feel normal as you would with your natural teeth.
• Dentures may need to be removed and cleaned on a regular basis with a special solution. Dental implants are cared for with the normal brushing every day as you would with your natural teeth.
• Dentures call for care when biting and chewing hard food. Dental implants, on the other hand, restore your full chewing ability.
• Dentures may interfere with speech especially immediately after fixing. Dental implants cause no speech issues.
• Dentures call for minimal surgery, save for the removal of any remaining teeth. Dental implants require at least one surgical procedure.
• The whole process of getting a perfect denture is shorter as compared to dental implants that require longer healing periods after surgery.

 

What are the similarities between dentures and dental implants?

Even though dentures and dental implants are basically different, they are similar in plenty other ways:

• Both dentures and dental implants help you to speak clearly and chew food properly.
• Both play an essential role in the structure of the mouth and jaw.
• They help cover the gaps left by injured or missing teeth thus avoiding other teeth from moving into the unoccupied space.
• By covering gaps, they both help bacteria and plaque from building up.
• They provide a natural look that goes a long way in restoring self-confidence.
• They can be used to enhance one’s smile and ultimately beauty.

 

Maintaining dentures and dental implants

Regular visits to your dentist are recommended. This will make it possible to detect any health issues early enough so as to enable you to get medical treatment if need be. One of the key ways to maintain your dentures or dental implants is to properly clean them regularly, otherwise, you risk developing oral health issues.

The recommended cleaning process includes the following steps:

Dentures

• Dentures can break easily therefore for protection, place a towel before removing your denture. Place your denture on the towel.
• Using a deep-cleaning solution, soak your denture for a few minutes in order to remove any food deposits.
• After soaking, check to ensure there are no food particles left. Gently brush using a soft-bristled toothbrush ensuring that you cover all the hard-to-reach areas of your denture.
• Thoroughly rinse your denture with clean water and allow it to dry.

Dental implants

• Using short horizontal movements, clean both the inner and outer sides of your implant, together with the surrounding gums with a soft toothbrush and low-abrasive toothpaste.
• Clean all through to the backmost teeth using a brush that can fit through the spaces without any resistance.
• Push the brush multiple times at different angles to clean the gaps between the root tips.
• Place the brush against your gum and make a rotating motion all the way up to the chewing surfaces of your teeth.
• Rinse your mouth thoroughly with clean water to complete the cleaning.

Missing teeth can cause so much more than a frustrating mealtime as you struggle to chew. It also shakes one’s self-esteem causing them not to have an active social life. Therefore, it is important to consult an expert dentist and learn their best recommendations. This will guide you in getting the best option based on your individual health and situation.

Restoration options like both dentures and dental implants are pretty affordable and improve one’s life completely. Consider getting dental implants where a few teeth are missing and dentures If you are missing all your teeth.