Do Dental Implants Offer Greater Benefits than Dentures?

When it comes to replacing missing teeth, which is the best solution?

Having missing teeth can be detrimental to us in a number of ways. Where the missing teeth are visible, there is inevitably the aesthetic factor, and very few of us would be happy to walk around with a front tooth visibly missing. The negative effects don’t end there though as leaving a gap in the teeth also has two adverse effects from an oral health perspective; firstly, by leaving a space between teeth, it is likely to cause the teeth either side of the gap to move into that space and become crooked. This, in turn, creates an uneven bite which puts the other teeth that come into contact with them at an increased risk of becoming worn down or even breaking.

A less visible disadvantage of leaving a gap is that the bone in the jaw, in this place, will slowly start to thin and can have an effect on facial shape, especially if more than one tooth is missing.

Dentures or Implants?

Whilst dentures in general have come in for some bad press over the years, modern dentures such as Valplast that we have available at our dental practice in Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham, offer a very good solution for replacing missing teeth.

The dentures themselves are much more aesthetically appealing than dentures of old, and Valplast dentures also have the advantage of being flexible and therefore much more comfortable to use and with less irritation of the gums.

This is an option that many Arthur House Dental Care patients have taken up and they are certainly highly effective in correcting the first two problems mentioned above. Unfortunately though, even the best dentures in the world cannot prevent the bone deterioration as this depends on a ‘root’ being present in the jawbone to give it something to attach too. This is where dental implants come into their own.

Osseointegration

Because dental implants are placed into the jawbone, a process called osseointegration can take place. This acts on the titanium implants by encouraging bone growth around it and becoming firmly attached to the implant.

This process takes around three months and ensures that the dental implant is held firmly in place, allowing a crown to be attached for the final part of the process. As well as addressing two of the problems mentioned previously, dental implants will also work to prevent the facial aesthetics changing by maintaining bone structure and will also offer an excellent, natural experience when it comes to eating. As an added benefit, implants can last for twenty years and more.

Perhaps less well-known is that implants aren’t only just used for replacing single, missing teeth – they can also be used for denture stabilisation and for holding a full-arch of false teeth permanently in place; a procedure known as full arch replacement.

To discuss either Valplast dentures or dental implants with us, please call Arthur House Dental Care in Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham on 0121 323 4492.