Alternatives to Dental Implants

Dentures

When you wear a denture the risk of decay, gum disease and bone loss around the mouth all increase. As bone is lost the dentures become loose and they are on average replaced every 3-5 years. With higher decay rates and gum disease more teeth are then lost. This means the denture is constantly getting bigger and more uncomfortable. Many people lose so much bone they can no longer eat hard foods and they suffer from dentures which move when they eat or talk or laugh. That can have a very bad effect on people’s general and mental health.

Bridges

Bridges are fixed replacements made using the neighbouring teeth. They involve drilling away the enamel from the adjacent teeth and then porcelain and metal teeth are glued over the top. They are generally more comfortable than dentures but the risk of decay is higher around them and some people can need root canal treatments after them. Generally longer bridges do not last as well as shorter bridges and so they are rarely recommended.