Should I Get Dentures or Dental Implants?

If you have missing teeth, it can be difficult eating your favorite foods, meeting people for the first time, or smiling in front of the camera. Fortunately, Dr. Habecker has experience helping patients just like you smile with confidence.

We understand that your smile says a lot about your personality, which is why we recommend scheduling a consultation with us as soon as you lose a tooth.

Here’s what you need to know before choosing dentures or dental implants.

Dentures

Dentures are an oral appliance made to look and function like natural teeth. Depending on the extent of tooth loss, our dentist may recommend a full or partial denture.

While a full denture replaces an entire arch of teeth, a partial denture only replaces a few teeth. We can help you explore the different types of dentures available, including partial, complete, conventional, and immediate dentures.

Dentures sit on top of your gums and must be removed before you go to sleep so your gums have a chance to recover.

When you’re not wearing your dentures, they’ll need to be submerged in a glass of water or denture cleaner so they don’t dry out, crack, and warp.

Dental Implants

A dental implant is a prosthetic tooth root (typically made of titanium) we place in your jaw to later support a crown.

Many patients appreciate that dental implants look and function like natural teeth. This means that you’ll be able to continue eating your favorite foods without worrying about slipping dentures.

Take care of your dental implants like you would natural teeth by brushing your teeth twice a day and flossing once daily.

Choosing Dentures or Dental Implants

While dentures are more affordable than dental implants, they don’t solve the problem of jawbone deterioration. As soon as your body detects a missing tooth, it’ll start to absorb the minerals in your jaw to use elsewhere.

Once this happens, the area of the jaw where the tooth root used to be weakens and deteriorates. Teeth adjacent to the gap will also start to tilt toward the open space.

Eventually, the patient may experience facial collapse, which alters the shape of the face and makes it difficult to wear dentures.

The best way to prevent further tooth loss and jawbone deterioration is to ask our dentist if you’re a candidate for the dental implant procedure.

In general, we recommend dental implants whenever possible so patients can avoid long-term health issues caused by missing teeth.

Dental implants are also less invasive than other tooth replacement options, such as dental bridges. This is because our dentist would have to file down your adjacent teeth to make room for a bridge.

A dental bridge contains a prosthetic tooth anchored in place by crowns. These crowns are placed on either natural teeth or implants.

In comparison, a dental implant is less invasive because you’re able to leave your adjacent teeth intact.

Candidates for Dental Implants

You may be a candidate for the dental implant procedure if you have healthy gum tissue and sufficient bone density in your jaw to place the implant. For successful osseointegration, there has to be enough jawbone tissue to support the titanium dental implant that’s placed in your jawbone.

Our dentist will be able to determine if you’re a likely candidate for the dental implant procedure.

Even if you’re not a candidate for dental implants, we can help you explore your other tooth replacement options.

Request an Appointment With Dr. Habecker

Dr. Brenton Habecker is a family dentist in Holland, MI, who offers the dental implant procedure to qualified candidates. To request an appointment, call Macatawa Smiles at (616) 396-7524.

This blog post has been updated.