If you’ve been wearing dentures for a while, you may have decided to switch to dental implants. However, perhaps you’re still unclear on a few things. What exactly makes implants so special? How do I make the transition from dentures?
Leesburg dentists can answer these questions. Here’s a summary of dentures’ weaknesses, implants’ strengths, and tips on moving from the former to the latter.
The Downsides of Dentures
At least at first, people may prefer to use dentures over dental implants. They’re easier to use, require less recovery time, and cost less. In fact, the affordability alone can make dentures attractive to most patients.
However, many find that dentures’ costs outweigh their benefits. They often slip when you’re trying to speak or eat, requiring more adhesive to stay in place. Plus, removing them at the end of the day can be painful due to stubborn denture cream. They also won’t prevent facial collapse from tooth loss.
The Upsides of Implants
In contrast, moving to dental implants can greatly improve your quality of life.
For one thing, dental implants don’t slip around or fall out. They’re permanently affixed to your jawbone to keep such things from happening.
They also let you eat all the foods you like, even those that are tough. By preserving more of your original bite strength, chewing with them is far easier than with dentures.
Best of all, dental implants are cleaned much like natural teeth. That means no more denture adhesive, pulling your teeth out at the end of the night, or soaking them in a glass.
Tips for Transitioning to Implants
Even if you know the advantages, you may feel uncertain about adjusting to a new dental prosthetic. To help the transition process move more smoothly, consider the following tips:
- Consider preparatory treatment: Talk to your dentist to decide whether you need a bone graft before implant treatment. Some patients need gum disease treatment as well.
- Make careful dietary choices: Consider eating a soft-food diet during your adjustment period. Doing so will let you get used to eating with implants and help you recover from treatment.
- Learn what to expect: You might produce more saliva when starting with your implants. That’s a normal reaction, as your body initially perceives your new teeth as a “foreign” object.
As you can see, jumping from dentures to implants makes excellent sense. Just follow the tips above so your smile reaps the rewards even more quickly!
About the Practice
Downtown Family Dental of Leesburg is one of the premier dental practices in Leesburg, Virginia. Part of the community for over forty years, they’re committed to high-quality dental treatments for their patients. They consider preventative dentistry a cornerstone of their work and thus strive to give their guests healthy, beautiful smiles. They also keep up to date on advances in the field. For more information or to book an appointment, they can be reached at their website or by phone at (703)-777-5600.