Having a healthy and beautiful smile is one of the main desires of many people. However, dental problems can affect the aesthetics and functionality of the mouth, compromising quality of life. If you are experiencing partial or complete toothlessness, you might wish to restore your smile, your speech, and your chewing and eating abilities. If this is the case, be assured that there are options for you to replace your missing teeth. The gold standard are permanent prostheses, also known as permanent dentures. These are false teeth that can either be set on individual tooth implants, or complete set of traditional dentures, which, rather than be removable, are affixed to just a few implants in your top and lower jaw.
Individual Dental Implants and Permanent Dentures
What is a dental implant?
Implants are metal structures, the most common being titanium, which are surgically introduced into the jaw region. They are considered very safe and have a very low level of rejection by the body. This procedure's main objective is to replace roots that were lost due to the extraction or loss of teeth. The implant allows for the return of adequate chewing and also helps with speech, processes that can be impaired by the lack of one or more teeth.
What are the types of dental implants?
There are several types that exist, but the most common are:
- Single implant: this is the procedure indicated for the rehabilitation of small areas with missing teeth. It begins with the installation of the implant, and, after the osseointegration period, a prosthesis is made over the implant, completing the treatment.
- Implant with protocol prosthesis: it is a modern solution for oral rehabilitation of patients who have lost all their teeth. It works as a fixed prosthesis, normally composed of 12 teeth attached to a single structure, which are screwed onto 4, 5 or 6 implants.
- Implant with overdenture prosthesis (permanent dentures): it is made of porcelain or another material that resembles natural teeth. Its implementation is carried out using two or four titanium pins, which are inserted into the upper or lower jaw and will serve as anchorage, as if they were new roots. In the denture, the fitting pins are placed.
What are permanent dentures?
In edentulous patients, i.e. those requiring dental prostheses, it is recommended to place an overdenture with implants when the case does not allow fixed dentures. This is a type of prosthesis that offers adequate stability, as well as being very comfortable for the patient.
Permanent Dentures, what are they?
This is a dental prosthesis that is placed on implants but, unlike a traditional implant, allows the prosthesis to be partially fixed or completely removable.
This type of denture is made with a special resin and also has a metal reinforcement at its base, which together will provide a highly resistant denture.
Types of overdentures
Overdenture for complete oral rehabilitation
If a patient has lost all of his or her teeth, an overdenture on implants will be placed to replace the upper and lower arches of teeth. However, in order to avoid having to place an implant for each tooth, the following are generally placed:
- An upper overdenture on 4 implants that will replace the upper dental arch.
- An overdenture on 2 implants designed to replace the lower dental arch.
And how is this achieved? Locator or bar overdentures are the answer. These systems consist of elements that fix the prosthesis to the implants, allowing it to be held in place and at the same time be removable.
In the case of the locator, it is a ball-shaped system with a male and female format on the implants and oral mucosa (hence it is also known as implant-mucosal-supported prosthesis). This way, the overdenture is better secured and allows it to be removable, unlike more traditional dentures.
Overdentures with 4 implants, like those with 2, provide a lot of comfort and security and, as they are removable, they also facilitate oral hygiene and improve the patient's quality of life.
Overdenture for partial oral rehabilitation
In the case of patients in whom a small set of teeth needs to be replaced, a so-called dental bridge is placed, as long as the teeth are contiguous. In these cases, an overdenture is usually made on 2 implants to replace the missing teeth.
Advantages of overdenture with implants
Although it is possible to fit a traditional denture, the truth is that overdentures with implants provide numerous advantages that we will see below.
If we compare it with a traditional removable prosthesis, the overdenture with implants allows greater chewing force, thus improving your quality of life. As it is fixed to the dental implants, the overdenture does not move when the jaw moves, so it does not interfere with speaking, and the risk that it may move, generate noise, or even come out of place, causing discomfort to the patient, is eliminated.
When teeth are extracted, alveolar resorption usually occurs. In patients who incorporate implants into their dental prosthesis, it has been seen that this process slows down, therefore reducing its long-term effects. Overdentures with implants allow for a much more balanced and natural design of the final results.
What is a fixed prosthesis?
The use of a fixed prosthesis — also called fixed dentures — aims to replace one or more missing teeth. Fixed prostheses can be supported on implants or teeth that function as pillars. This type of prosthesis can be single (for a single tooth) or partial (when it joins three or more teeth).
Fixed prosthesis is indicated when there is good bone support and good periodontal health. If the patient does not have these two favorable factors, this alternative may harm oral health. It is up to the dentist to recommend the best option, according to the specifications of each case.
So what is the difference between an implant and a prosthesis?
Fixed dentures are recommended for patients who have lost one or more teeth, but still have some left in their mouth. There is no possibility of carrying out the procedure without these conditions, as the prosthesis needs the other teeth to serve as a pillar and be fixed. The implant can be indicated either to replace a tooth or an entire dental arch. The procedure involves placing a pin inside the bone and then placing the artificial tooth.
How much do dental implants and fixed prostheses cost?
The prices of a fixed prosthesis and dental implants may vary according to the region of the country, the material used in their manufacture and the prosthetic laboratory.
In general, implants can be two to three times more expensive than prosthetics, because they come out ahead in terms of durability. With proper oral hygiene, they can last more than 20 years! The fixed prosthesis, in turn, lasts an average of five years.
Which one to choose? Dental implant or fixed prosthesis?
The indication of the procedure to be carried out will depend on the analysis of a specialized dentist.
As mentioned above, for implants, for example, there must be a “useful” amount of bone to fix the pins used. Therefore, some people cannot do this process. In these cases, a prosthesis is recommended.
For younger people, prosthetics are often not the best option as they do not provide the same chewing safety as implants.
Cavities, periodontal diseases, infections, and other diseases in the oral region (or even systemic ones, such as diabetes or heart problems) can also contribute to the choice of one procedure or another. Therefore, the assessment needs to be very complete and consider a series of different factors, in order to provide the ideal solution for each patient.
As we can see, there is a certain difference between dental implants and prosthetics. Each procedure has different indications and very different benefits. Therefore, consultation with a specialized dentist is essential to determine which path to follow based on your particular case. This way, you can get a perfect smile safely!