Dental Implants Vs. Bridges and Dentures

Have you ever wondered what the difference between implants, dentures, and bridges are? This article answers your questions.

What’s the first physical feature you notice when you first meet someone? Perhaps you would guess that it’s their clothing, hairstyle, eyes, or even their physique. However, think about the last time a friend or family member got a new haircut and you didn't even notice until he or she mentioned it to you. And recall the last time you tried to locate a friend in a crowd, but you forgot what color shirt she was wearing (and whether it was long-sleeved or short-sleeved). Eyewitnesses of crimes may even fail to remember the hair color of the perpetrator, as well as body build and approximate height! Few people actually look at another person’s eyes, and many don’t know whether their best friend has brown or blue eyes.

One thing that people always notice and never forget is a person’s teeth. If you have a missing tooth, yellowing tooth, a noticeably false tooth, or a gold or silver tooth, this will stand out in a person’s mind as being your most prominent physical feature, even if the other person only saw your teeth for half a second. That’s how important the appearance of the teeth are.  And that’s why the way your teeth look can affect every aspect of your social life, from the personal to the professional.

If you are missing one or more teeth, a general dentist may recommend getting dentures or a bridge (or both). These are like snap-on teeth. You must remove them after eating or drinking anything other than water, and you’ll need to soak them in denture cleaner every day to prevent odors and bacterial buildup. They’re much cheaper than implants, but the problem is that they must be replaced every few years. This can add up and eventually be more expensive than dental implants in the long run. Another problem with dentures in Colorado Springs is that they don’t protect the surrounding teeth, gum tissue, and bone tissue in the jaw. After many years of wearing dentures, you have a higher risk of developing gum disease and losing more teeth. In addition, you are almost guaranteed osteoporosis of the jaw, which can result in a sunken-in facial appearance.

Dental implants in Colorado Springs, on the other hand, have many advantages. They are permanent, and they don’t need to be removed for cleaning. You clean them just like you clean your natural teeth. Also, they protect the surrounding teeth and gum tissue, preventing gum disease and further tooth loss. They will also make your jawbone stronger, protecting you from osteoporosis of the jawline and the facial deformities that can occur from such. Dental implants in Colorado Springs do require surgical placement in the jaw, but this is only a minor surgery which is done under conscious sedation and local anesthesia. Therefore, the risks are minimal and almost anyone is a good candidate for the procedure.

Immediate Load Dental Implants

Read this article to get the 411 on immediate load or “instant” dental implants.

If you’re missing some teeth and you’re searching online about getting dental implants, you will eventually discover that there are many different “brand names” of dental implants. Each type claims to have their own special dental implant that is better than all the other dental implants out there. Many of these companies advertise to implant dentists rather than consumers, but some implant dentists will promote the particular type of dental implant that they offer in their own office.

One particularly prominent kind of dental implants offered in Colorado Springs that is coming to the forefront today is the immediate load or “instant” dental implant. Doesn't that sound nice already? Wouldn't it be great if you could walk into your dentist’s office and instantly receive a dental implant in no time at all? While that isn't exactly possible yet, the instant load dental implant is as close as it gets to that Jetson’s world ideal of the dental implant.

Pioneered by a company known as Sargon Immediate Tooth Replacement System, the immediate load dental implant system allows patients to get a dental implant in exactly one procedure. You see, the “old” way of doing things was for patients to go into the implant dentist’s office for the dental implant procedure, only to receive the surgical placement of a metal rod and abutment. No crown was placed on the metal abutment during that first visit, so the patient went home with a visible metallic thing showing in the mouth. For people who need dental implants in the front of the mouth, or more than one dental implant, having a metal abutment show when they smile could be quite an embarrassment. The typical procedure was that the patient would wait for weeks or even months for a porcelain ceramic crown to be made. They would then go to a cosmetic dentist for the placement of the crown, only after waiting such a lengthy period of time. But who wants to pay all that money for a dental implant, only to have to wait up to six months for the finished product… No more family photos, social events, job interviews, weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, or sales meetings until the tooth arrives for placement on the abutment. Life is on hold -- officially -- until you can relax and smile without someone looking at you and wondering what that piece of metal is hanging from your gum tissue. Okay, so maybe it would make a striking and realistic Halloween costume. You can trade your job for a gig in the haunted house.

With instant load dental implants in Colorado Springs, there is no wait time between the surgical procedure and the placement of the ceramic crown. When you leave the dentist’s office in Colorado Springs after having the metal root and abutment surgically placed, you will also leave with a prosthetic tooth that looks and feels just like a natural tooth. You can smile and relax, knowing that you’re looking your best.

The dental implant surgery for instant dental implants in Colorado Springs only takes about one hour. Theoretically, you could have the surgery done during your lunch break. Local anesthesia is provided so that you won’t feel any pain, but you will be awake during the procedure. Relax or watch TV while the procedure is being done. There may be some minimal swelling or tenderness in the area after the surgery, but you could be ready to go back to work even the next day.

Benefits of Choosing Dental Implants

This article can help you decide whether to choose dental implants or dentures.

There are few things quite as embarrassing as attending a major social event, job interview, face-to-face sales presentation, or meeting a special someone for the first time when you are missing one or more teeth in a noticeable area of the mouth. It can cause a person to avoid smiling or laughing, or even be afraid to speak up much, for fear of being “found out” -- fear of being seen as the toothless one. Unfortunately, people do judge based on appearance, and having particular dental imperfections such as missing teeth may be judged unfairly. People will jump to conclusions about social class, hygiene, or smoking and drug use habits. Besides the social aspect, missing a tooth presents a health problem. It can lead to periodontal (gum) disease, which is a risk factor for heart disease and even autoimmune disorders. Thankfully, with today’s modern technologies, no one has to suffer the harsh consequences of having a missing tooth.

The absolute cheapest option for replacing a missing tooth is to get dentures, otherwise termed as “false teeth.” Dentures are removable dental prostheses that need to be taken out and cleaned after eating or drinking anything. They may become odiferous, so it is recommended to soak them in a special denture cleaner each night so they won’t take on the scent of bad breath and food particles. Many people who wear dentures have noticed that their dentures click when they talk, and sometimes they may even become loose and wobble or fall out. This can quite possibly be even more embarrassing than missing a tooth. People around you may be taken by surprise to see your dentures move or fall out, and it can be a socially awkward situation in general. Even for those with a good sense of humor, this is humiliating when the dentures wobble or fall out at exactly the wrong time.

Dental implants in Colorado Springs cost more than dentures in the beginning. However, implants are permanent and don’t need to be replaced like dentures do. And you can clean and maintain your dental implants the same way you clean and maintain the rest of your teeth. They aren’t removable and you don’t need any special tools or cleaning kits for them besides the ordinary toothbrush, toothpaste, and dental floss. Therefore, the overall cost investment over the long-term is perhaps even cheaper than dentures.

Because dental implants involve a surgical procedure, some patients feel hesitant to try them so they try dentures without ever considering the dental implant option. But the first step towards getting dental implants is to visit an implant dentist in Colorado Springs. Your dentist will determine if you are a good candidate for dental implants. (Most people are, unless they have severe bone loss in the jaw area.) The entire dental implant procedure takes about one hour under local anesthesia. Most patients drive home and are back to work the next day.

How To Find a Top Cosmetic Dentist in Colorado Springs

This article explains the difference between a general dentist who does cosmetic dental services and a cosmetic dentist who has been specially trained in this field.

Many general dentists in today’s day and age are doing cosmetic dental procedures such as teeth whitening and porcelain veneers. They may even advertise themselves as cosmetic dentists even though they are actually just general dentists who do some cosmetic procedures. It can be confusing sometimes for consumers to discern the difference, since there is no set of regulations for the practice of cosmetic dentistry or the use of that term in marketing materials. As long as a person is licensed in the field of dentistry, he may call himself a cosmetic dentist in Colorado Springs.

Now sometimes, you might not actually need a fully trained cosmetic dentist. Sometimes a good general dentist will do. For instance, for routine cleaning and maintenance of your dental implants or porcelain veneers, your regular general dentist’s office should suffice. If you live closer to a general dentist that you know and prefer to see on a regular basis (which may be more affordable than going to a cosmetic dentist for a routine cleaning and checkup), it can be a smart step to choose the general dentist for routine occasions.

However, if you are in need of an ultimate smile makeover, you will need to see a cosmetic dentist in Colorado Springs if you want to have the absolute finest results. For instance, if you need your teeth whitened, a general dentist will probably make impressions of your mouth and then send you home with an expensive home whitening kit. The guesswork will be up to you concerning how long to leave the trays in your mouth, and the entire process could take weeks of wearing these trays for a certain amount of time each day. A cosmetic dentist will whiten your teeth professionally in his office. The entire process will likely only take an hour, and the financial expense will likely be very similar in this case to the whitening kit that a general dentist will sell to you.

If you need porcelain veneers or a porcelain crown for a dental implant, you will without question want to go to a cosmetic dentist, rather than a general dentist who can place a veneer or crown. The difference in the finished result is quite striking. A cosmetic dentist will use a professional ceramicist who will custom-make your veneers to best fit your mouth and facial shape. The veneers will look like natural teeth, except that they won’t stain like a natural tooth, and they will likely not need to be replaced for a couple of decades. A general dentist in Colorado Springs will not custom-make your veneers. They will be shaped exactly like everyone else’s veneers, and they may start to turn yellowish after a few years or even months. People may compliment you and say, “Your veneers are lovely. Who did them?” When you go to a cosmetic dentist, people will say you have a beautiful smile, but they will have no idea you actually have dental veneers.