If you wear dentures, you’re probably familiar with the routine of waking up, pulling your teeth out of a glass of water and then placing them in your mouth. Removable dentures aren't just an inconvenience, they can also cause problems in your mouth.
If you’re tired of dealing with the problems that come with dentures, replacing them with dental implants may be your best option. If you want to enjoy smiling, eating what you want and never having to remove your dentures again, consider making a change and get implants.
Common Problems with Dentures
Dentures are artificial teeth and gums that are a removable replacement for your natural teeth. While current technology promises that today's dentures will fit better, they still come with a number of potential problems including:
- Food particles can get trapped between the denture and the gum
- Dentures can move a bit in your mouth, especially when talking or eating
- They often make eating uncomfortable, especially if they move or you get food stuck in or beneath them
- Your sense of taste may impaired causing you to lose the enjoyment that comes with eating
- The bone beneath your dentures will atrophy and shrink causing dentures to become loose and ill-fitting over time
- You may find yourself avoiding certain foods, such as crunchy raw veggies, sticky foods, hard foods and chewy foods, because they’re painful or difficult to eat
- If you’re unable to chew food properly, a larger burden on your digestive system
- Irritation and sores may occur if the dentures slip and move around in your mouth
The Benefits of Switching to Implants
If you’re tired of the problems that come with dentures, you do have another option: dental implants. Implants offer many benefits over dentures, such as:
- Natural Appearance — Implants look completely natural, and no one will know they aren’t your natural teeth.
- Improved Comfort — Discomfort is one of the main complaints patients have about dentures. Irritation and sores make eating painful. Sores become more common if dentures become loose and rub against the gums. If you make the switch to implants, you’ll find that they’re as comfortable as your natural teeth, and you won’t have to deal with sores and irritation anymore.
- Easier Dental Hygiene — Dentures have to be removed every night, and you need special cleaners to take care of them. When you go with implants instead, you can go back to routine dental hygiene, brushing and flossing regularly as you would natural teeth. Regular dental check-ups and cleanings are also recommended.
- Improved Eating and Speaking — With dentures, you may find yourself avoiding hard and sticky foods, and it may be tough to speak. Some patients have even had dentures pop out while speaking, which is embarrassing. Implants allow you to eat anything you want, and you’ll find that speaking becomes easier as well.
- Bone Preservation — Implants prevent bone and gum deterioration. Implants provide the same function as a natural tooth root including stimulating and preserving the jawbone.
- Long-Lasting and Durable — With dentures, you can expect to replace them every few years since gums and bone will atrophy and deteriorate and dentures will not longer fit properly. Implants offer a long-lasting, durable option that can last 10 years, 15 years or even a lifetime with proper care.
Dentures have been the standard replacement for missing teeth, but they come with many drawbacks. If you’re tired of the discomfort and inconvenience of dentures, consider switching to dental implants. Talk to your dentist about this option and ask to be referred to Northwest Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery. We’ll work with you and your dentist to come up with a treatment pland and full mouth restoration for your unique situation.
Learn more about dental implants and our highly trained and experienced board-certified oral surgeons today by visiting texasoralsurgery.com.