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.

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.

Immediate Load Dental Implants in Colorado Springs

This article explains what instant load or instant dental implants are.

If you’ve been researching online about dental implants in Colorado Springs and the many options available now, you may have heard about immediate load dental implants, often referred to as instant dental implants. This latest method in implant dentistry has been pioneered by a company called Sargon Immediate Tooth Replacement System. The instant method allows you to receive same-day dental implants, in which the ceramic “tooth” is placed onto the abutment on the same day that you have the titanium rod placed. This way you don’t have a waiting period between the surgery and the cosmetic procedure (which can sometimes take weeks while the dentist waits for the prosthetic tooth to be made and shipped by the ceramicist).

The advanced design of the instant dental implants in Colorado Springs is really the next generation in the field of implant dentistry. The traditional method of waiting for days or even weeks to be able to smile without being self-conscious about your teeth is not an issue when you receive instant dental implants. Simply put, the procedure will take one day. You will be back to work the next day -- with no missing teeth! Your boss, your co-workers, and your clients will never have to know that you had dental work done. Your instant implant will look and feel like a natural tooth.

In the field of cosmetic and restorative dentistry, more implant dentists in Colorado Springs are now choosing to allow their patients to have the option of choosing instant implants. In today’s fast-paced world, a wait time of two to six months (in some cases) between the surgical procedure and the placement of the ceramic prosthetic tooth can mean lost job opportunities, missed connections, and no smiles in family photos. This is one reason why many people, especially in the past, chose to go with dentures and bridges instead of implants. It’s simply too embarrassing and too inconvenient to go through a major surgical procedure only to wait several months before the cosmetic procedure is performed.

When you choose instant dental implants in Colorado Springs, the surgery itself takes about one hour. Placement of the prosthetic ceramic tooth takes minutes. You can walk out of your dentist’s office, breathe a sigh of relief, and smile at the world. The procedure is done using local anesthesia. You can be awake and aware throughout the entire procedure, but there will be no pain. Many implant dentists have a large flat-screen TV that you can watch during the procedure to get your mind off of it if you don’t want to think about what is being done.

Did you know that an advantage of getting dental implants in Colorado Springs over dentures and bridges is that it makes your surrounding gum tissue, teeth, and jawbone tissue stronger? When you are missing teeth, the jawbone can lose its mass and cause the gums to recede over time. Eventually, dentures need to be replaced to fit the new size of a person’s mouth as the gums continue to recede. This is a major cosmetic issue. The sooner you are able to get dental implants after losing a tooth, the better off you are cosmetically because the implant will protect the jawbone and gums from receding.