Over the years, you’ve just become accustomed to wearing dentures. Perhaps you’ve accepted the little annoyances that come with these tooth replacements, but this complacency could be holding you back from a better option! You really should consider attaching your dentures to dental implants.
But do they really make that much of a difference? What do they add to tooth replacement? Keep reading to find out!
Why Traditional Dentures Are Not Enough
Did you know that traditional dentures only give you back around 25 percent of your original biting power? When you get brand-new dentures, they fit snugly and stay in place while you eat. Still, you probably aren’t able to eat corn on the cob or juicy steak like you used to.
Dentures rely on suction to remain in position, but one errant bite can cause your dentures to slip at an inopportune moment. Over time, the risk of slippage only continues to climb because your jawbone slowly loses density and strength without stimulation.
Because of the natural process of diminishing jawbone, traditional dentures have to be adjusted about every other year and then replaced every five years or so, which doesn’t leave you much time to enjoy your restored smile before it starts to fail on you. Plus, your deteriorating jawbone can make your face seem more sunken and older.
How Dental Implants Work
While dentures compensate for the lost teeth above the gums’ surface, dental implants go underneath and replace the missing root structure. These posts become embedded in the jawbone and actually stimulate new growth. As a result, many of the frustrations and headaches of dentures are resolved!
What Dental Implants Add to Tooth Replacement
When your dentures are attached to implants, they become anchored to the jawbone itself. In other words, they won’t budge, and you have the biting strength to eat basically any food you’d like! With their reliability in mind, you can have more confidence eating and talking around others, knowing you won’t have to face embarrassing slippage.
On top of having more self-esteem, a stronger bite can help you maintain a healthier diet, which in turn leads to better overall well-being in the long term. Unlike with dentures, your facial structure doesn’t change with dental implants, meaning you can hold onto a more youthful appearance for decades. With dental implants, your restored smile can last for many, many years without needing replacement.
Ultimately, you can keep living with normal dentures and get by, but when you bond them to dental implants, you can have a higher quality of life and truly enjoy your smile!
About the Practice
At Jacksonville Complete Dentistry, our three dentists have the advanced training, clinical experience, and the expertise required to provide dental implants for patients with missing teeth. For those who want traditional dentures, we also happily provide this service. If you are interested in exploring your tooth replacement options, you need to schedule a consultation by reaching out to our team online or calling 904-645-6457.