Whether you are 18 or 80, having missing teeth can be more than an aesthetic issue.
It can make everyday things like biting into and chewing food more difficult, alongside creating more issues around oral hygiene.
And so, if you have recently lost a tooth or teeth, you may be considering searching for a suitable way to restore the function and aesthetics of your mouth without too much fuss or hassle. While there are more traditional ways to do this, such as dentures or fitted bridges, many dental patients are turning their attention to oral implants as a way to recover their smiles.
Fitted to the jaw, a dental implant in Melbourne acts as a synthetic root, which can then have either a single prosthetic tooth or an entire set of teeth attached to it. Easy to care for after fitting, a dental implant from Melbourne is suitable for most people over the age of 18 and provides a long-term solution to missing teeth.
Not sure if oral implants are for you? In this article, dentures and oral implants are compared, allowing you to assess which is the best treatment for you.
Cost
In the short term, undoubtedly, a dental implant near Melbourne is going to be more expensive. And if you are having a more specialised implant fitted, such as a zygomatic or a subperiosteal implant, the cost will be higher than the standard implant.
However, long-term, they may actually work out as cheaper; consider the costs associated with dentures such as glues, replacement dentures and other things such as oral ointments and ulcer treatments. But if you are unsure if there are financial advantages to having implants fitted, talk to your dentist.
Comfort
Again, this is a long-term versus short-term debate.
In the short-term, dentures are more comfortable but long-term, they can cause sores and ulcers to form on the gums. Implants are initially uncomfortable after the fitting, but soon settle and as they cannot move, they do not cause rubbing.
Longevity
Provided you care for your implants post-fitting, they can last up to and over 20 years. Dentures have a similar lifespan but can be lost or damaged when they are not in your mouth, which can be problematic for many older people. If you have a great memory and are careful with your dentures when removing them, they are easily as long-lived as implants.
Appearance
Both dentures and implants allow your smile to be restored and with modern dental techniques, both can be made to look as realistic as possible.
But as implants are more cosmetically based than dentures, more care will go into making them appear more natural, so this once again is up to personal choice as it is purely cosmetic.
Durability
As mentioned before, dentures can be sat on and are thus easily damaged or broken. Implants on the other hand are composed of titanium, and composite or porcelain, making them more robust when it comes to biting into and chewing food.
DISCLAIMER
Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.
