When a patient suffers the loss of one or several teeth, their day-to-day life immediately suffers: it is more difficult for them to chew, they may have difficulty speaking because they do not vocalize well, and they even smile and laugh less because they are embarrassed, which affects their self-esteem and confidence.
But fortunately today there are different techniques to replace missing teeth, such as removable prostheses, fixed bridges and dental implants.
We often get inquiries about Which is the best option. The answer for us is clear: we should not decide on an economic criterion, that is, we do not recommend choosing the option that we think will be cheaper in the short term. The decision must be based on medical and clinical criteria, on what each patient needs according to their case and their oral health conditions and health in general.
Even so, there are some considerations that make more and more cases opt for a dental implant instead of a prosthesis. In this post we will explain what a prosthesis and an implant are, and what are the main differences between these two techniques.
What is a removable dental prosthesis?
It is an acrylic prosthetic structure with an extensive settlement base (palate) and a series of metal hooks that will serve to hold it to the adjacent teeth. As its name indicates, it is to remove and put. Over time, between five and seven years, it loosens both at the level of the gums and the hooks that retain the prosthesis. Its great drawback when chewing is that it can move and sway, as well as food that can penetrate below the palate. Today we only recommend this prosthesis if there are health limitations that contraindicate implants, or if the limitation is economic.
What is a fixed dental prosthesis?
A fixed prosthesis is a prosthetic restoration that consists of replacing missing teeth by means of a prosthetic structure that is attached to the adjacent teeth. These teeth are ground down to make room for the framework, and the prosthesis is cemented to secure it. It is a type of design that has been used for almost a century, and its comfort when chewing is excellent. The main drawback is that healthy teeth have to be sacrificed to fix missing teeth. It is currently not recommended if there is the possibility of placing dental implants.
what is a dental implant?
It is a titanium screw that is placed in the bone of the maxilla or mandible and acts as an artificial root. A cover is placed on this root that imitates the color and shape of the person's natural teeth. It can be done on a single tooth or on several, even on a complete jaw or the entire mouth. The sensation when chewing is the most similar to natural teeth, surpassing the comfort of the removable prosthesis, and sometimes the fixed bridge.
Differences between a prosthesis and a dental implant
- Materials. Prostheses are usually made of acrylic, resin and ceramic materials, so that they are light and affect the natural teeth to which they are attached as little as possible. The implants are usually made of titanium, a highly biocompatible, chemically resistant and lightweight material. In addition, after a few months the titanium allows the bone to grow around it, which is called osseointegration. The material of the prosthesis on the implants can be zirconium, titanium, palladium-gold and chrome-cobalt.
- Aesthetics. On an aesthetic level, both a fixed prosthesis and an implant respond very well to the aesthetic requirements of the patient, although advances in implantology techniques and materials make the latter look and feel more like natural teeth.
- Functionality. At a functional level, implants respond much better than prostheses, since they do not move or risk falling off, they are firmer and safer. In addition, with immediate loading implantology, the patient can eat, drink and lead a normal life in a single day.
- Adapting. As a general rule, dental prosthesis patients require a longer adaptation time than implantology patients. Implants feel and function like natural teeth, while dentures are a foreign body that takes getting used to. Although each case is different, since it will depend largely on the anatomical conditions of the bone and the person's ability to adapt to change.
- Independence . The implants are placed directly on the bone, so they do not depend on the adjacent teeth, nor do they overload or affect them in any way. Instead, dentures are attached to adjacent teeth, thus limiting the number of teeth that can be replaced on the one hand, and necessitating healthy, pristine teeth on the other.
- Duration. Both interventions require aftercare and maintenance adequate, such as proper dental hygiene and regular check-ups. Under the best conditions, a prosthesis lasts between eight and twelve years, while implants can last a lifetime, if cared for correctly.
Thus, it is not surprising that in most cases the dental implant is recommended instead of the prosthesis or the bridge. In the case of immediate loading implants, not only do we obtain a more immediate and natural result, but the intervention itself is faster and less invasive for the patient, and recovery occurs in just 24 hours.