Dentures or Implants
Dallas, TX - When a patient loses a tooth, or several teeth, a cosmetic dentist has a few alternatives for repairing the persons bite and smile. These include both dentures and implants and the choice a patient makes between these solutions can depend on many different factors.
Dentures are a very common solution for many patients and can help them replace lost teeth and regain their ability to smile and eat again normally. A denture can be used to replace a few teeth, or an entire set of upper or lower teeth. These dentures can be created to attach to other permanent teeth in the patients mouth, or in the case of a full denture, be held in the mouth as a complete set. Even though dentures are a reasonable solution for a group of lost teeth, they can take a little time to adjust to for many patients. They can initially feel awkward to many people and may affect their speech slightly. These minor inconveniences can be overcome in a short amount of time as you get used to the new dentures.
Another alternative for most patients are implants and these can be a great solution for replacing lost teeth. An implant consists of a metal screw that is actually attached to the patients jaw and protrudes through the gum line. A crown is then attached to the top of this mount and adhered in place with dental adhesive. Because the implant is secured to the jaw, this is viewed as a more permanent repair than dentures. Once in place, this new tooth will act just like the tooth it was created to replace for the patient. This technique can be used to repair a single missing tooth, or an entire set of teeth in some cases. Before the implant process begins, the dentist will X-ray the patient’s mouth to make sure there is adequate jawbone below the missing tooth to allow the implant a good foundation. They will then determine the best place to insert the implant to ensure the optimal outcome. The entire implant process will take several dentist visits over a few months to give the implant the proper time to adhere. Once the implant is in place, the dentist can fit the cap and the patient can enjoy the repair for many years to come.
These implants can also be used to help patients that wear dentures. A dentist can place several smaller implants in a patient’s mouth and use them for attaching the dentures in place. This still allows the patient to remove the dentures in the evening or for cleaning, but provides a more secure mounting when being used. The dentures need to be made to accommodate the attachment to the implants and this can either be done on a new set of dentures, or added to an existing set. This is a great way to help patient’s overcome the fear of loose dentures and really provides a secure mount.
Both of these solutions are great alternatives for patients that need to have missing teeth replaced. The choice between them is up to the patient and their dentist and both work fine for most patients.
Biographical Info: Phillip Crum is the Chief Idea Officer of Sir Speedy Walnut Hill located at 2414 Arbuckle Court Dallas, TX 75229, and is committed to the idea of helping small business owners do a better job of finding their next customer or client. He also runs a local search marketing firm, MarketingMeasure and employs those additional capabilities in the overall marketing services menu of offerings. Phillip can be reached at 214-213-7445, or pcrum@MarketingMeasure.com.