Dental Implants Vs. Loose Dentures

If you are a dentures wearer, you probably know that you need an adjustment period to get used to them, and, over time, they become loose, and you need to visit a prosthetic dentist near you for touch-ups or even new ones. If you want to avoid these situations with loose dentures in South Miami, you may visit our dentist in Kendall for dental implants.

What Are Dental Implants?

Dental implants are an alternative to loose dentures near you. They consist of small metal devices that look like a screw, which a dental implants dentist in South Miami installs inside your jawbone for replacing the root of one or many missing teeth.

A person can lose a tooth due to many reasons. The most common are the followings:

Tooth decay – When an individual consumes foods rich in sugars and doesn’t practice good oral care habits, he or she will likely develop dental cavities. If untreated, they can reach the pulp and even the root of the tooth, becoming irreparable in the worst-case scenario.

Dental trauma – Whether it is due to a fall or a high impact on your face, an accident can end up in a knocked-out tooth.

Periodontal disease – It is the infection of the tissues that hold the tooth in its place. When it is too advanced, teeth become loose and may even fall out of its socket.

When people experience one of the situations above and end up missing many teeth, their self-esteem may decrease severely. The lack of teeth makes some small daily tasks harder, such as biting, chewing, and even speaking without impediments. These consequences lower people’s self-confidence and make it harder for them to interact with others freely. Dental implants are the best solution to replace your missing teeth. Sure, they are more expensive than dentures, but you get what you pay for, and it is best to invest in a device that will last forever and won’t give you so many headaches.

The Drawbacks of Dentures

Don’t get me wrong, dentures work. They are artificial sets of teeth that rest on your gums to restore your function and aesthetic; however, you may experience the following issues with them:

Improper fitting – This can lead to the shifting of your remaining teeth.

Removable – Many couples struggle with removing their dentures overnight because the magic is over! And, if you don’t remove them before bedtime, they will irritate your gums.

Learning curve – You will need to cut your food into small pieces and practice speaking out loud for several weeks.

Food restrictions – Dentures wearers cannot eat crunchy or sticky foods because it may compromise them.

Aesthetics – Even though they restore your missing teeth, dental implants look more natural.

They wear out – Dentures may last several years but won’t last for a lifetime, like dental implants. 

Bone loss – Dentures don’t stop the bone loss after a missing tooth because they don’t replace the roots of it; therefore, the lack of stimulation causes the bone to resorb.

Special care – Taking care of a dental implant doesn’t involve any additional procedure. You have to brush your teeth like you always have. Twice a day, with a soft-bristled toothbrush, for two minutes at least. Besides brushing, you must floss your teeth daily for the removal of dental plaque between teeth. As for dentures, you must use another toothbrush (not the one that you use for brushing your remaining teeth or your gums if you are fully edentulous) and mild soap and clean them using cool to lukewarm water (hot water may bend them out of shape). Also, you must soak them at night in dentures solution or even water to keep them moist and avoid their shrinking.