For a very long time, if you lost a tooth, the only possible replacement options were to have a partial denture or perhaps a bridge, although this was not always possible and depended on the location of the tooth and the condition of the teeth on either side of it. Times change though and more recently, dental implants have become more popular with a lot of people and some consider that they may eventually replace dentures altogether at some point in the future.
In today’s blog, the dentists at our Purley dental clinic take a brief look at the history of both dentures and implants before discussing the pros and cons of each treatment for anyone who may be considering replacing a missing tooth.
Dentures have been around for a very long time indeed, and the ancient Egyptians used a rudimentary form of these, with the replacement teeth being made from ivory or animal teeth. The Romans too followed a similar theme but used human teeth either from the dead or from donors (although how voluntary these donors were we don’t know!) It is probably fair to say that the functional element of these ‘dentures’ was fairly poor and they were probably used largely for aesthetic purposes amongst the wealthy of the day.
Dental implants are much newer and were ‘discovered’ by accident in the 1950s when a Swedish scientist Dr. Per-Ingvar Brånemark discovered, in an unrelated experiment, that the titanium rods that had been placed into a rabbit’s bone had fused with them and were extremely difficult to remove. This led to further experiments in using them in humans and in 1965, the same doctor placed the first dental implants into a human. That patient died in 2006 at the age of 98 with his dental implants still intact.
In order to place a dental implant, a small screw-like object is placed into the jawbone where the root of the tooth would normally be. This may sound a painful procedure but it usually causes no more discomfort than you would expect from most invasive dental procedures. This ‘screw’ is made from a material that bonds with the bone, as in the rabbit experiment previously mentioned. It is then left for this process, known as osseointegration’ to take place for around three months. Once this is complete, a crown is then attached to the artificial root via an abutment and the patient is left with a strong and highly stable tooth replacement.
It is this artificial tooth root that marks the most significant difference between dental implants and dentures which sit on top of the gum, sometimes secured with wires and/or denture adhesive.
All procedures have pros and cons and we aim to provide the best solution for you. In most instances, we feel that dental implants offer a superior solution to dentures for reasons we will explain below. Dentures do still have a role to play though and may be more appropriate for some patients.
1 – They are extremely strong and stable. Providing that you look after them well, you will experience no movement at all when you eat and no food will be too difficult to chew once your new dental implant is fully bonded with the bone.
2 – They are easy to clean and patients should brush and floss them as they should do their natural teeth. In fact, you can treat them exactly as you would a natural tooth.
3 – They are long lasting and can last you for twenty years or so with good care. Many patients find that they last much longer than that and may even last for thirty years or more.
4 – By placing an artificial tooth root, the bone in that area is preserved. Failure to replace a tooth root will lead to the bone in that area being reabsorbed by the body and small facial changes may occur which can be visible but may also lead to other teeth starting to move and become crooked.
The main ‘disadvantages’ of having a dental implant is the one time placement procedure which requires minor surgery and they do tend to cost more, though this is a one time fee and patients should factor in the ongoing care, adjustment, repair and replacement of dentures over the years.
1 – They usually require no invasive surgery. This makes them an option especially for extremely nervous patients or perhaps for others who may not be able to undergo the implant procedure for whatever reason.
2 – They tend to cost less than dental implants although, as previously mentioned, the maintenance costs can reduce the difference in price over the lifespan of an implant. We also offer payment plans that enable you to spread the cost of your implant treatment.
The cons of dentures is that they tend to be more unstable and may move around in the mouth more. This can make eating more difficult and patients sometimes opt for easy to eat foods rather than something more difficult to chew. They may visibly move too which can be embarrassing when in company. Some speech issues may occur too. They are also less convenient to clean and need to be removed for soaking overnight.
All in all, we believe that most Purley Dental Care patients would benefit from dental implants as these offer a highly secure, natural looking and feeling tooth replacement option that, once placed, you can go about your life as you would with a natural tooth, without being concerned about it moving around at an inopportune moment.
We are aware that some patients may feel a little apprehensive about undergoing a tooth implant procedure and we are more than happy to discuss the treatment with you. If you would like to know more about this increasingly popular tooth replacement method, why not call us to arrange an initial consultation with one of our implant team? You can call us today on 020 8660 2928. We look forward to your call!
