I’m having to get my teeth replaced. I have an illness which caused me to lose all my teeth. My dentist is really pushing me toward dental implants. However, dentures are significantly more affordable. Is the price difference justified? Will it really be worth it.
Dan T.
Dear Dan,
I’m glad you’re looking into this before making a decision. I’ll tell you straight up that dental implants are most definitely worth the price difference. Even the best fitting dentures will reduce your chewing capacity by 50%. In addition, while the top arch of dentures are held in by suction, the bottom arch just rests on the ridge of your jawbone as you can see from the picture above left. This means they move around and the food you eat will get under them. It’s not a pleasing experience. But, that’s not the worst part.
You didn’t mention your age, but I’m assuming you’re not close to 80. If you’re even close to middle-aged, there is a much more serious reason to not get dentures. Once you remove your teeth, your body recognizes you no longer have teeth roots to sustain and immediately begins to reabsorb the minerals in your jawbone to use elsewhere where they’re deemed more necessary. This causes your jawbone to shrink. After about ten years, you’ll no longer have enough bone left to keep your dentures in, making you a denture cripple. This is known as facial collapse.
Unless you want to spend the remainder of your years on a liquid diet, you need a better solution.
Why Your Dentist Suggested Dental Implants
Your dentist is looking out for your best interest. He wasn’t just suggesting the more expensive procedure. With dental implants, prosthetic teeth roots are implanted into your jawbone. You can get them from either titanium or zirconia. These implants signal to your brain that the bone is still necessary and protects you from facial collapse.
After a healing period, an overdenture will be attached to the implants. If you go to an accredited cosmetic dentist, you will end up with a stunning smile. So, not only will you have a restored, functional smile, you could end up with the smile of your dreams.
As far as how they work, it’s like having healthy natural teeth again. You can eat whatever you want and oral care is just as easy. You just brush and floss as normal.
This blog is brought to you by Buffalo Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Warren Krutchick.