If all your teeth are missing, you may feel daunted at the thought of having surgery to replace them with dental implants. However, dental implants offer some important long-term health benefits compared to traditional dentures. Consider the following factors when deciding whether implants or dentures are right for you.
Bone Health
Dental implants integrate into your bone, which means that when you chew, the forces exerted on your teeth propagate through your jaw bone. This stimulation helps to keep the bone strong and healthy, preventing the loss of bone density that can make some older people's faces look sunken.
Dental Hygiene
Dentures need to be removed in order to clean them, whereas you can clean dental implants using a toothbrush and toothpaste, just like you used to do with your natural teeth. Many people find dental implants easier to keep clean than dentures, as the requirement to leave dentures out of the mouth to soak in a cleansing solution can be very inconvenient.
Diet
Dental implants are fixed securely into the bone, which means you can eat any food you like after the initial healing period of 6-8 weeks. In contrast, many denture users feel uncomfortable chowing down on sticky or chewy foods, which can cause dentures to slip. Dental implants could therefore allow you to have a more varied and balanced diet.
Infection
The fitting procedure for dental implants involves having oral surgery to place titanium supports into the jaw. Your new teeth attach to these supports to give the appearance of a full set of teeth. As with any surgical procedure, there is a risk of infection. However, you can lower your risk of infection by keeping your mouth as clean as possible during the recovery period. Your dentist may also prescribe antibiotics to keep infections at bay during this time. Getting a set of dentures fitted does not require surgery, so doesn't present the same infection risk.
Dental Implants Can Fail
Although dental implants can protect your oral health over the long term, they are not suitable for everyone. If you already have significant bone loss in your jaw, it might not be possible for dental implants to integrate properly, in which case you might have to have them removed.
How to Decide
If you are interested in replacing your missing teeth with dentures or dental implants, talk to your dentist to find out which option is right for you. Although they aren't suitable for everyone, dental implants can help to keep your jaw bone healthy and strong, while allowing you to maintain a varied diet and good dental hygiene routine.
Share13 July 2016
As you age, it can become harder to take care of your teeth. Motor challenges can make it hard to floss, while memory issues may make it easy to overlook brushing. Whether you are a senior looking for solutions to some of the common dental problems or a senior with specific questions about cavities or oral surgery, you have come to the right place. In this blog, I am going to touch on a range of topics related to seniors and oral health. This is the type of resource I wish my mum would have had access to in her senior years, and I hope you enjoy having access to it during yours. I appreciate you reading my posts.
