What are the differences between traditional and implantation-based prostheses?
Proper
chewing ability is essential for proper digestion and requires proper teeth. Not
to mention, your smile is almost as important! As we all know the health of a
tooth is vulnerable, even a single missing tooth can affect your appearance and
confidence, hindering our emotional level as well. So, no question,
missing teeth need to be replaced which has two common ways, dental implants vs. traditional
prosthesis. This writing will help to decide which is best for us.
Like every field in medicine requires a diagnosis of the patient’s condition, similarly,
treatment in the dental implant
dentistry begins after a proper diagnosis. It is important to thoroughly
examine the jaw bone by panoramic X-ray, before deciding.
Traditional Prostheses are used when some natural teeth remain in the upper
or lower jaw. It is removable and attached to a pink or gum-colored plastic
base. It is connected by a metal framework that holds the denture in place in the
mouth.
A dental implant that is used to
support one or more false teeth or even a bridge is an artificial tooth root
that placed into the jaw. Generally, this is placed beneath the gums to hold a
replacement tooth, bridge or a complete denture.
These days, with one or more missing tooth or teeth due to periodontal disease,
an injury, or any other reason, dental implants
have become a popular choice.
Let’s talk
about the key differences between denture fixed on dental implants and traditional prosthesis by comparing their
properties:
Aesthetics – In terms of aesthetics, dental
implants supported dentures look and feel like your own teeth and thus
offers distinguished aesthetics, as compared to the traditional prostheses.
Durability – Dentures fixed on dental implants are
made from high-quality and unique titanium alloys which are strong, stable and extremely
durable. Once proper care is taken, a dental implant-supported denture can
remain functional for a lifetime. On the other hand, Traditional prostheses
have a shorter lifespan as they are made from less durable materials and their
attachment to the gums is far from perfect.
Impact on adjacent teeth - In case of dental
implants dentures, no adjacent teeth need to be grounded down to hold the
new replacement teeth or tooth. Whereas traditional prostheses need to be
attached to the adjacent teeth on either side of the space left for support.
Function – Traditional prostheses are sliding and thus can make chewing and
speaking difficult. On the other hand, most implantation-based dentures
are fixed or come with a secure fit and do not slip or slide in the mouth. As
they firmly support the false teeth, they sufficiently restore dental function
in terms of speech and chewing efficiency.
Cost - The cost of dentures fixed on dental
implants varies based upon the condition of your gums and jaw bone. They
are significantly costlier than the traditional prostheses. Generally speaking,
implantation-based prostheses may require additional surgical techniques like
bone grafting in order to ensure there is enough bone for the implant to be
stable. An exception to the latter is immediate loading implants that can be used in case of significant bone deficiency!
Consequence or Oral Hygiene - In traditional prostheses, supporting natural teeth on
both sides need to be trimmed slightly to create room for the prosthesis.
As a consequence, the healthy tooth structure has to be sacrificed. Whereas
this is not the case with dentures fixed on dental
implants. Therefore, they preserve the adjacent teeth and underlying jaw
bone.
As we
learned from the above article, in many ways, there is a significant difference
between dental implants and
traditional prostheses. This knowledge can be useful for those who have to
choose between the two solutions. For the long-term, the success rate of dental
implants is much higher than the traditional prosthesis.
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