What is the difference between dentures and dental implants?

When people think about tooth loss replacement, many people think of dentures. Oftentimes we have in mind a jovial grandpa who spits his dentures out during family reunions just to get a dramatic reaction out of his grandkids. In fact, you may have actually experienced this exact scenario. 🙂 And whether you found it hysterical or disgusting, this type of experience influences our perspective on the available options for replacing lost or severely damaged teeth.

So what are the available options for tooth loss?

Depending on your particular situation, multiple options are available for tooth loss replacement. You can read about some of the different options available here. If you are seriously considering your options for tooth loss replacement, you should schedule a consultation with Charles Orth, DDS, at his periodontal & dental implant practice in Dallas. Dr. Orth specializes in excellent care and will provide you with a thorough evaluation and consultation in order to help you achieve your cosmetic AND oral health goals.

But to give a brief breakdown of two of the most common tooth loss replacement options, keep reading.

Dentures and dental implants are perhaps the most common options for people who have lost single or multiple teeth. But what is the difference between dentures and dental implants? Are dental implants better than dentures? Are dentures more affordable than dental implants? Are dental implants more comfortable than dentures? You may have all kinds of questions about dentures and dental implants. And we believe you should have your questions answered because we want all our patients to be empowered to make informed decisions about their dental and oral health.

So let’s start with the basics:

WHAT ARE DENTURES?

Dentures are essentially prosthetics that you wear in your mouth, meaning that a denture is a removable replacement for missing teeth and surrounding tissues. Two types of dentures are available – complete and partial dentures. Complete dentures are used when all the teeth are missing, while partial dentures are used when some natural teeth remain. Standard dentures, whether full or partial, are unsecured prostheses with inherent limitations. Most often, dentures are painful, inconvenient and unstable.

 

 

Implant-supported dentures bridge the gap between dentures and dental implants. The Implant Supported Overdenture treatment concept replaces your missing teeth with a full dental bridge supported by dental implants. Fewer implants are needed and overall treatment time and cost is reduced. An Implant Supported Overdenture solution also ensures greater stability in the bone, reducing the need for bone graft surgery to increase bone volume.

WHAT ARE DENTAL IMPLANTS?

Dental implants essentially replace the entirety of your tooth, starting at the bone and finishing with a natural-looking crown. A natural tooth consists of a root and a crown. If you compare natural teeth to implant-supported replacement teeth, you’ll see they have the same basic parts. Both have a crown (the visible part used to chew food). Both have a root that holds the tooth securely under the gum and is anchored into the jaw. The difference is that the implant is made of titanium – the same time-tested material used by surgeons for artificial joints. When you lose a tooth, you lose both the root and the crown. To replace the tooth, the surgeon first replaces the root with a small dental implant.

SO WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DENTAL IMPLANTS AND DENTURES?

Essentially the primary difference to keep in mind is that dental implants get to the root of the problem (pun intended!) and provides a permanent, comfortable solution, while implant supported overdentures provide an alternative to standard dentures with a unique set of advantages. For more information about the process of dental implants and to see the dramatic results that Dr. Orth can provide, click here.

Ultimately though, every person is entirely unique in their oral health needs and goals. If you are currently using dentures and would like to consider alternative tooth replacement options or would like to know more about the tooth replacement options provided at our practice in Dallas, we recommend that you schedule a consultation with Dr. Orth. Dr. Orth’s expertise and experience allows him to help patients make informed decisions and achieve optimal results.