Balwyn is a suburb in Melbourne, Australia, and just a few kilometres away from Melbourne’s central hub.
With its people having easy access to everything, smoking has always been a common vice among the 13,312 residents in the region, making it one of the top reasons for the various dental and oral health problems among the people in Balwyn. These dental problems include gum disease and tooth decay, with many of the cases result in permanent tooth loss, which has significantly affected the confidence and day-to-day living of those suffering from it.
When replacing a missing tooth (or teeth), dentists in Balwyn will likely give you two options: dental implants and dentures.
Choosing the right solution depends on your preferences and a few factors, such as the price, the health of the remaining teeth, and your jawbone. Dental implants and dentures offer different sets of advantages, so it’s important to discuss your options with your dentist in Balwyn, district-based.
For those patients with one or two missing teeth, implants are a better solution than dentures. However, the question remains for those missing an entire row of teeth. Which is better, dentures or implants?
Advantages of Dental Implants
Dental implants have become more and more popular in recent years as teeth replacement solutions, primarily because they are designed to function like natural teeth. The procedure starts with the dentist installing a titanium implant post, which serves as an anchor, by drilling it into the jawbone. Next, an abutment and a prosthesis, which looks like a natural tooth, are placed on top of the anchor. The end product is a strong, natural-looking tooth anchored permanently and firmly in place.
Dental implants avoid the potentially embarrassing effects of the teeth slipping and falling out of the mouth. Since implants are firmly implanted in the jawbone, there is no slipping and sliding, and it lets you eat almost any food you want. Chewing with implanted teeth also strengthens the jawbone, so you will not suffer bone deterioration, which can cause that sunken look of the mouth over time.
A few downsides of dental implants are the cost and the intensive procedure needed to put them on. To replace a whole set of teeth would require multiple sessions, which can be costly. Furthermore, it is not for everyone. Your dentist in Balwyn district-based will have to check whether your jawbone and gums are strong enough to support the implants.
Advantages of Dentures
Dentures are removable. They are a prosthetic set of teeth that you can fit into the mouth regardless of the health of your remaining teeth and your jawbone. They come in partial sets, replacing either the top or the bottom rows; or incomplete sets, which replace both rows of teeth. Dental dentures have long been the treatment choice among older patients who have lost most of their teeth and those who do not have enough healthy teeth to support bridges and crowns.
Furthermore, dentures are much more affordable than dental implants, which could be part of the deciding factors if you do not have health insurance to cover this procedure.
A few cons of dentures include regular replacement and adjustment as the structure of your gums change as you age. Leaving it as-is for years may result in loosened dentures that may slip and slide in the mouth when you talk and eat.
Also, you will need to take care of your dentures as you would your regular teeth. Infection may occur around the gums and mouth if dentures are not cleaned properly.
To find out what’s best for you, talk to a reputable and experienced dentist. A seasoned orthodontist in Balwyn can provide you with the best recommendation for your dental issue and offer ways to maintain the best condition of your overall dental health.