Dental Implants 23226 Versus Dentures

You have lost several teeth to extensive tooth decay. Now you are faced with a choice: dental implants in 23226 or traditional dentures. Your dedicated team at Westhampton Dentistry will help you decide which is best for your particular oral health needs. Dr. William Way can place either tooth replacement option, giving you a smile that is fully functional and very natural-looking. Here are some details for you to consider so you make your very best decision.

Just What are Dentures?

Dentures are artificial teeth that are custom-made according to what the patient needs and prefers. Full dentures usually are held in the mouth by natural suction, and partial dentures attach to healthy neighboring teeth via metal clasps. Both fill smile gaps, restoring oral function and youthful facial appearance.

To craft a denture, your dentist in 23226 takes complete digital X-rays and oral impressions. Then, Dr. Way sends the images and a personalized treatment plan to a trusted dental lab in the area where a special technician crafts the dentures from durable and lifelike acrylic.

Next, Dr. Way places the denture in the patient’s mouth, ensuring it fits correctly and that the top and bottom teeth bite together properly.  When well-constructed, conventional dentures are stable and fit well with minimal movement of the appliance. However, as time goes on, any denture may require relining or replacement as gums and bone change.

What are Dental Implants in 23226?

Dental implants are today’s premiere tooth replacement option. If a patient is in good overall health and has adequate jaw bone density to accept an implant device, he or she is likely is a good candidate for dental implant placement by Dr. Way.

Just what is a dental implant? Basically, it’s an artificial tooth made of three parts:

• A titanium root (shaped like a screw or cylinder) placed directly into the jaw during an in-office oral surgery
• A metal alloy post which extends above the gums
• A realistic porcelain crown (milled right in the office with CEREC CAD-CAM technology)

Dr. Way recommends dental implants to many individuals missing one or more teeth because dental implants look, feel and function very naturally. When the titanium implant device is inserted into the jaw bone, the bone immediately begins to meld to the implant through what dentists call osseointegration. This bone-building feature is unique to dental implants. Conventional bridgework and dentures simply rest on the gums and do nothing to exercise the supporting jaw bone.

Over many weeks, the bone and implant form an inseparable bond. When the implant is finished, osseointegration continues because the physical forces of biting and chewing keep the jaw bone strong. Researchers estimate that most of an individual’s ability to bite and chew is restored when an implant replaces a natural tooth.

Dental implants may be placed singly or in multiples depending on what the patient needs. Combining the best in prosthodontics, Dr. Way may advise an implant-supported denture using several implants to stabilize a full or partial denture. These appliances give patients attractive and well-functioning smiles that don’t slip or wobble as sometimes happens with conventional dentures.

What Will Serve Your Needs Best?

Why not contact Westhampton Dentistry for a restorative dentistry consultation? If you have missing teeth, don’t worry or feel embarrassed. You have many good options, and Dr. Way and his team will craft your best possible smile.