Seniors are one group of people that may have a lot of trouble with tooth decay and teeth that need to be replaced. Two main options often come up for tooth replacement: dentures and implants. Here are some ways that you can evaluate which is right for you.
How Many Teeth Need to Be Replaced?
Your dentist should do a thorough evaluation of your mouth to let you know which teeth need to be replaced and if there are any others on the verge of needing an extraction. If you have only a few (or just one) tooth that needs treatment, dental implants are a great way to go. You won't have to extract more teeth than necessary; since implants cover just a single tooth, you'll be able to keep more of your natural smile. However, if you have many budding tooth decay issues, your dentist might recommend that you get the whole set pulled and replaced with dentures, in order to save you time and money in the long run.
How Is Your Health?
Before you proceed to discuss dental implants and dentures with your doctor, you may want to have your overall health checked out, with a focus on a few different areas. First of all, you'll want to know the health of your bones before you get dental implants. This is because the implants will rely on your jawbone to hold them in place; the implant material is actually meant to fuse with your jaw in order to create its strength. If you have osteoporosis or another bone condition, then the implants may not work to their full capacity.
You may also want to know if your gums are healthy enough to proceed with an implants treatment. The implant procedure is a surgery, and it requires the dentist to make an incision into your gums. If you already have gum inflammation or disease, this surgery can make the issue worse.
Which Do You Prefer?
Finally, you might want to discuss your lifestyle with your dentist so that they can make recommendations on which one is better for you. There are pros and cons to each. Dental implants are long-lasting, but they are also more costly and require more appointments to put fully into place. Dentures can be a great, cost-effective, and time-efficient solution for tooth replacement, but they require a lot more adjustment in terms of learning to love their look and feel. A great family dentist will be able to walk you through the pros and cons of each decision. For more information, make an appointment at a clinic like Smile City.
Share6 October 2016
Do you remember the last time you looked at your smile and really loved what you saw? A few years ago I started spending more time analyzing my appearance, and I noticed that my teeth were seriously lacking. I knew that I had to do something to improve the situation, so I began focusing on loving my smile by getting some work done. I started talking with a dentist about how he could help, and it was really incredible to see the simple difference that he was able to make. Within a few years, my smile looked and felt completely different, and I was really pleased with the results. Check out this blog for great information on making your smile more beautiful.
