Dentures or Implants for seniors? Its Pros and Cons

Senior citizens have a lot of health issues to deal with – The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research estimates that 10.13% of Americans between the ages of 50 to 64 have few teeth or no teeth remaining. If you’re one of those unfortunate Americans, you might want to think about dentures or dental implants. However, if you’ve recently decided which option is best for you, it’s essential to understand their differences.  

It may be difficult for seniors to eat comfortably without the assistance of dentures or dental implants and have the same quality of life they did before their tooth loss. 

Pros of Dentures 

1. Dentures are less expensive than implants 
2. Dentures are a popular place to start for many people.  
3. Dentures will give your body time to recuperate before moving on to implants. 
4. Dentures can be a good option depending on where the missing teeth are located.  
5. Dentures are made in a non-invasive manner that requires no need for surgery. 
6. Dentures can easily be modified to accommodate new loss of teeth. 

Cons of Dentures 

1. Dentures don’t have the same natural appearance as dental implants. 
2. Dentures must be removed and cleaned thoroughly regularly.  
3. Dentures can move around and make it difficult to speak and eat. 
4. Dentures make it impossible to eat certain foods. A few examples are caramel, apples, and corn on the cob. 
5. Unable to preserve bones. 
6. If food becomes stuck between the dentures, it increases the risk of gum disease. 
7. They need to be replaced regularly (every 3 to 6 years, whereas 20 years or more for dental implants). They’ll also break if dropped, necessitating replacement. 
8. Partial dentures can impair the natural teeth that support the dentures. 

Pros of Implants 

1. They’re easy to manage & maintain – just like your natural teeth. 
2. Implants appear and feel like natural teeth. 
3. You can consume everything, including sticky and crunchy foods. 
4. Speech is unaffected by dental implants. 
5. Since nearby teeth and bones are preserved, they’re less likely to need dental work in the future. 
6. Dental implants can last long, even for a lifetime, if properly taken care. 

Cons of Implants  

1. Implants can get quite costly, depending on the number of teeth & the placement. 
2. From start to end, implant placement takes about nine months. 
3. There are risks associated with having a general anaesthetic used while mounting dental implants in the mouth. 
4. The fitting of implants necessitates surgery, and the healing time is typically long. 

If you’d like to know more about whether dentures or dental implants are the best options for you, get in touch with one of our Bravo! Dental specialists now. At the end of the day, our dental experts are your best ally in determining which option is right for you and your mouth.