Dental Implants Versus Dentures
According to the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, nearly 70% of Americans aged 35 to 44 are missing, at least, one tooth because of an accident, tooth decay/cavities, gum disease or dental fractures. Many of these people seem to think that even though they are missing one or more teeth that it means they have to go through their entire life like this. Not only can this be an embarrassing situation, especially if the tooth you are missing is up front and you can see it when you talk, smile or chew, but it can become incredibly uncomfortable and hard to chew your food properly. Thankfully, Dentistry has come a long way since the dentures of yesteryear. Back in 700BC for example, many people made dentures out of animal teeth (or human teeth), however, these were quite uncomfortable, and because they were not quality materials, they deteriorated very quickly. Then, down the road, people started making them out of wood and other materials like George Washington's elephant ivory teeth! Thankfully, in this day and age, you will not be seeing any of these materials being used now. Technology has come a long way, and you do have other options available to you such as dental implants and dentures.
What Are Dentures?
Dentures are removable false teeth. You may know of someone who has had these in the past, such as a grandma or an Uncle. Moreover, while they have come a long way, they are still not an ideal solution when you are missing teeth. They tend to have many challenges that keep many people from getting them. Dentures can be problematic when it comes to keeping them IN your mouth. They use suction; they depend on your dentist making a good fit for you and sometimes you still have to use an adhesive to keep them in. Often, dentures can slip around while they are in your mouth, and slippage can lead to sore gums, as well as the embarrassment of them moving around or “clicking” while chewing or speaking. Also, traditional dentures require a sort of cover on the hard palate of your mouth – the roof of your mouth. This can make it, so you do not taste food as well as you once did. It might not be a big difference to you, but to some people, this is an important aspect. One of the biggest reasons people DO get dentures is because they are so low cost. They can be significantly cheaper than dental implants or any other options out there. however, on the other hand, you tend to feel more uncomfortable with dentures, with slippage and sore gums, plus dentures don’t preserve your bone structure which means that over time your jawbone will recess, and eventually you will have facial collapse – it sounds scarier than it is really, but is when your cheeks and jaw sort of go concave.
Prices For Dentures
Usually, when you visit a dentist, they will let you know that this will not be covered by insurance. Its very rare that medical aid will pay for this because they consider it to be cosmetic rather than medical. Its ridiculous if you think about it. Nonetheless, your out of pocket cost will usually be around $1000 to $3000 for an entire set – top and bottom, of dentures. These also come with a 1-2 year warranty. Higher end dentures have a more personalized fit and they can cost between $4000 to $8000 and will have a longer warranty, between 5 to 10 years long.
What Are Dental Implants?
A dental implant is super simple; its an artificial tooth that is placed into your jaw bone to hold a tooth or a bridge. There are two main types of dental implants:
Endosteal (in the bone): This is the most commonly used type of implant. The various types include screws, cylinders or blades surgically placed into the jawbone. Each implant holds one or more prosthetic teeth. This type of implant is used as an alternative for patients with bridges or removable dentures.
Subperiosteal (on the bone): These are placed on top of the jaw with the metal framework's posts protruding through the gum to hold the prosthesis. These types of implants are used for patients who are unable to wear conventional dentures and who have minimal bone height.
Prices For Dental Implants
The prices will vary, but they are significantly more money than dentures – for good reasons, however. The main benefits of dental implants are that they feel, look and act like real tooth more so than dentures. Also, they help to preserve the bone and prevent further gum deterioration and bone loss. They are also a longer lasting option, than dentures, and tend to last for 15-20 years. You will still need to take extra good care of these implants, though; they are to be treated just like regular teeth so you will need to brush and floss as you normally would, and you will also need to get them professionally cleaned. The prices are going to be dependent on; the city or country where you live, the implant manufacturer or if the Dentistry will make them for you, the type of dental implants and what the are made out of, as well as additional procedures and treatments such as removal of teeth, anesthesiology, etc. Over all, they can cost anywhere between $5000 and $20,000.
No matter what option you get, you will need to take care of both options as if they were your real teeth. You will also be required to get check ups to make sure that the implants or the dentures are in working condition and if they need to be fixed i.e.,; they have cracked, or a tooth/implant has been loosened, they will need to be fixed accordingly.
What Are Dentures?
Dentures are removable false teeth. You may know of someone who has had these in the past, such as a grandma or an Uncle. Moreover, while they have come a long way, they are still not an ideal solution when you are missing teeth. They tend to have many challenges that keep many people from getting them. Dentures can be problematic when it comes to keeping them IN your mouth. They use suction; they depend on your dentist making a good fit for you and sometimes you still have to use an adhesive to keep them in. Often, dentures can slip around while they are in your mouth, and slippage can lead to sore gums, as well as the embarrassment of them moving around or “clicking” while chewing or speaking. Also, traditional dentures require a sort of cover on the hard palate of your mouth – the roof of your mouth. This can make it, so you do not taste food as well as you once did. It might not be a big difference to you, but to some people, this is an important aspect. One of the biggest reasons people DO get dentures is because they are so low cost. They can be significantly cheaper than dental implants or any other options out there. however, on the other hand, you tend to feel more uncomfortable with dentures, with slippage and sore gums, plus dentures don’t preserve your bone structure which means that over time your jawbone will recess, and eventually you will have facial collapse – it sounds scarier than it is really, but is when your cheeks and jaw sort of go concave.
Prices For Dentures
Usually, when you visit a dentist, they will let you know that this will not be covered by insurance. Its very rare that medical aid will pay for this because they consider it to be cosmetic rather than medical. Its ridiculous if you think about it. Nonetheless, your out of pocket cost will usually be around $1000 to $3000 for an entire set – top and bottom, of dentures. These also come with a 1-2 year warranty. Higher end dentures have a more personalized fit and they can cost between $4000 to $8000 and will have a longer warranty, between 5 to 10 years long.
What Are Dental Implants?
A dental implant is super simple; its an artificial tooth that is placed into your jaw bone to hold a tooth or a bridge. There are two main types of dental implants:
Endosteal (in the bone): This is the most commonly used type of implant. The various types include screws, cylinders or blades surgically placed into the jawbone. Each implant holds one or more prosthetic teeth. This type of implant is used as an alternative for patients with bridges or removable dentures.
Subperiosteal (on the bone): These are placed on top of the jaw with the metal framework's posts protruding through the gum to hold the prosthesis. These types of implants are used for patients who are unable to wear conventional dentures and who have minimal bone height.
Prices For Dental Implants
The prices will vary, but they are significantly more money than dentures – for good reasons, however. The main benefits of dental implants are that they feel, look and act like real tooth more so than dentures. Also, they help to preserve the bone and prevent further gum deterioration and bone loss. They are also a longer lasting option, than dentures, and tend to last for 15-20 years. You will still need to take extra good care of these implants, though; they are to be treated just like regular teeth so you will need to brush and floss as you normally would, and you will also need to get them professionally cleaned. The prices are going to be dependent on; the city or country where you live, the implant manufacturer or if the Dentistry will make them for you, the type of dental implants and what the are made out of, as well as additional procedures and treatments such as removal of teeth, anesthesiology, etc. Over all, they can cost anywhere between $5000 and $20,000.
No matter what option you get, you will need to take care of both options as if they were your real teeth. You will also be required to get check ups to make sure that the implants or the dentures are in working condition and if they need to be fixed i.e.,; they have cracked, or a tooth/implant has been loosened, they will need to be fixed accordingly.