Implant Supported Dentures Vs. Conventional Dentures

For patients missing most or all their natural teeth, conventional dentures and implant supported dentures at Periodontic Associates of Port Huron are the two most common treatment options. Unlike conventional dentures, which are supported by the gums and underlying bone structure, implant supported denture are held in place with a titanium post implant to which an abutment is attached. Because the implant is embedded in your jawbone, it does not rest on your gums like conventional denture, creating a more secure and natural feeling replacement for your missing tooth/teeth. There are several different types of implant supported dentures, including fixed and removable and bar and snap-retained.

Although both conventional dentures and implant supported dentures are effective treatments for patients with missing teeth, there are several important characteristic differences to consider when deciding which one is right for you.

Pros and Cons

To help decide whether conventional dentures or implant supported dentures are the best fit for you, consider the following pros and cons of each and how important each area is to your personal treatment goals:

• Aesthetic appearance: The importance of having a fully restored, healthy, natural looking smile is a very important quality for some people, and less so for others. One of the biggest differences between conventional dentures and implant supported dentures is that implant supported dentures will provide you with a smile that resembles your natural smile much closer than traditional dentures, which generally do not look or feel quite like your natural teeth.
• Comfort: Traditional dentures typically take some getting used to, and many people who wear traditional dentures feel their biggest drawback is being somewhat uncomfortable, or in certain cases, painful. Implant supported dentures, whether fixed or removable, tend to have much more favorable patient reviews and are often described as feeling as comfortable as natural teeth.
• Cost: Cost of treatment is a very important consideration, and this is one area where dentures offer a distinct advantage compared to implant supported dentures. When considering the difference in cost between these two treatment options, however, it is important to keep in mind that dentures require more maintenance and regular examinations and there is a greater likelihood that you will have to have new dentures made on a regular basis as a result of the shape of your jawbone changing, due to the natural deterioration process that occurs when your jawbone does not have sufficient stimulation that would otherwise be provided by your natural or replacement tooth.
• Functionality: One of the biggest benefits implant supported dentures provide compared to traditional dentures is restored functionality, which not only preserves your natural speaking voice but also allows you to continue enjoying all types of foods, whereas dentures affect your speech and significantly limit the types of food you can enjoy.
• Maintenance: Another important difference between implant supported dentures and conventional dentures is the level of maintenance necessary. Implant supported dentures can generally be taken care of the same as your natural teeth, unless they are removable, in which case you will need to remove the denture at least once daily to clean the abutments and around the titanium post. Dentures require specialized maintenance and must be removed and cleaned prior to sleeping. It will also be necessary to schedule frequent dental exams to ensure that your dentures still fit properly.
• Oral health: Implant supported dentures mimic the feel of your natural tooth/teeth and stimulate the jawbone underneath, which slows down and/or prevents the loss of jawbone. Dentures do not provide this same level of stimulation, which means that your jawbone can begin to deteriorate over time, increasing your risk for developing additional oral health issues and further loss of teeth.

More on Implant Supported Dentures : Cleaning Implant Supported Dentures