Hi there,

I have struggled with my teeth my whole life. My gum line is very low due to my periodontal disease. I’ve even had teeth fall out! Are dentures my only option? Or can I opt for dental implants?

Sarah, from Florida

 

Hi Sarah,

Dental implants are an option for you. However, whether you can get them or not depends on a number of factors. For one, your periodontal disease may be too advanced to get dental implants — you may have had a lot of bone loss, and may need a bone graft before you can get them. Be sure to check your prospective cosmetic dentist‘s continuing education in dental implants before an appointment.

Dental implants feel more natural than dentures. There is no plate that goes across the roof of your mouth, so your chewing and swallowing isn’t affected. You also do not need to make any changes to your diet. Removable dentures can also move around in your mouth, which causes anxiety and lack of confidence.

The other problem with dentures is that once your teeth have been pulled, your mind gets the message that your jaw is no longer needed, and it begins to break down the minerals in your jawbone. This is called resorption and it happens over a long period of time, but it doesn’t happen with dental implants. Getting a post surgically implanted in your jaw sends the same message to your brain as a natural tooth. So bone loss or facial collapse are not an issue with dental implants.

This blog post is brought to you by Baton Rouge dental implant provider, Dr. Steven Brooksher, of Dentistry by Brooksher.