Dental Implant vs Veneers
If you are embarrassed by your teeth, you may search for a “dentist near me” to find out what your options are to get a great smile again. There are a few different options, like the dental implant vs veneers conversation, but they are not all the same. For those who have lost teeth, dentures were the traditional option. Today, though implants have become very popular. Then there are veneers, which can help with some imperfections that you find embarrassing. Let’s take a brief look at each and how they can restore your confidence and get you smiling again.
Dentures
For quite some time, Dentures were the only option for replacing lost teeth. While dentures technology has improved over the years, its basic function and use have not. You still place these fake teeth in your mouth in the morning and attach them using a special adhesive. At night, you remove them and place them in a special cleaning solution.
There are some benefits to dentures. While you may have to have surgery to remove any remaining teeth, you typically don’t require more surgery after that. Partial dentures are also an option for those who have some strong, healthy teeth remaining. Today’s dentures are much more comfortable than they once were, too, because they’re custom creations designed to fit your mouth. Due to other health issues or damage to the jaw, some people are simply not good candidates for implants. For these individuals, dentures are the only option.
The downsides, though, are that you do have to remove them at night. If you drop your dentures, they may break. It’s also possible for debris and food particles to get up under the denture plate, causing irritation.
Implants
Implants are a permanent method of replacing lost teeth. Unlike dentures, implants are attached to your jawbone, so you never need to remove them. Instead, you take care of them like you would natural teeth—you brush and floss as you normally would. The biggest downside to getting implants is the invasive procedure. If you have a few teeth to replace, each will have to have a titanium rod placed in the jawbone. Even if you’re having all of your teeth replaced with the All-on-Four method, you still have to have four rods in your upper jaw and four in your lower.
This process can take months. If your jawbone has lost density, you may need to have bone grafted onto it so it can support the posts. It can take a few months for this bone to fuse, then you have to have the rods placed. All in all, it can take six months or even longer to have a full set of implants placed.
The benefits, though, are that you don’t have to do anything after that. Once the implants are in and your gums have healed correctly, you essentially have a new set of teeth. The material used in implants is incredibly durable, too, so you don’t have to worry about injury or damage to them. They’re very comfortable, and nothing can get up under them.
Veneers
Veneers fall under the cosmetic dentistry umbrella. While dentures and implants restore functionality and actually replace teeth, veneers do not. Instead, they are thin shell that is placed over the front of the teeth. They make your smile look perfect, but they’re not actually replacing your teeth or even repairing the damage. Instead, they’re hiding it.
That’s not to say that veneers are a bad idea. They can be the perfect solution if your teeth are stained and have not responded well to whitening techniques. They’re also great for hiding chips and small imperfections in your teeth. Your smile will look brilliant again.
Veneers aren’t a good choice if you have lost several teeth or have very damaged teeth. Because they’re purely cosmetic, you need to have healthy teeth to have them placed. You also have to fully commit to veneers. To place them, a small amount of the enamel is actually removed from the front of your teeth. Once this is done, the teeth are vulnerable to damage. This means the veneers cannot be removed once placed.
Which Is Right for You?
To answer this question, you’ll need to come to visit us at Bertagnolli Dental. The right option truly depends on what you want and the state of your teeth. If you have healthy teeth and just want to hide some small blemishes, veneers may be right. If you’ve lost a few teeth, implants could be a good choice. If you’ve lost all of your teeth, dentures or implants will work, but it depends on your overall health. We will talk to you about all of your options and help you find the right one.