Implants vs. Dentures After Gum Disease

How to best choose between dental implants or dentures?
Many people walk around with the devastating effects of gum disease (a.k.a. periodontal disease) for a long time without ever realizing that there is a problem in their mouth. Gum disease usually progresses from early to late phases with few symptoms. The resulting deterioration of your jaw bone can leave you "long in the tooth"- with loose teeth –and then tooth loss as the final result.

What is the best way to replace missing teeth?
Should you choose Dental Implants or Dentures after Gum Disease has taken its toll? Expert dentist Dr. Bard Levey (Croton, Westchester County) gives his opinion: Gum disease (periodontal disease) is a chronic infection caused by bacteria which fester between your teeth and gums. Over time the bacteria force your body's immune system into action- which results in inflammation. The inflammatory cells (white blood cells) actually eat away at your jawbone. Left untreated over time, gum disease destroys all of the bone that holds your teeth causing tooth looseness (advanced gum disease) and then tooth loss. Sometimes the only warning signs you might have in the early stages include gums that bleed upon brushing or flossing, chronic bad breath, or puffy gums. Some people have no symptoms at all. Dr. Bard Levey, Croton Cosmetic Dentist (Westchester County, New York), says that it is easy and painless for a dentist to screen for gum disease. If found early gum disease can be easily controlled (as with some other diseases like diabetes, gum disease can be controlled but not cured). Gum disease is also linked to heart disease, stroke, diabetes, preterm and low birth weight babies, among other systemic diseases.

What if it is too late for you and some or all of your teeth are already loose or missing?
Dental implants or dentures-which do you choose? Dr. Levey gives the following tips. If you are only missing a single tooth and the rest of your teeth are strong and healthy you will have a far more natural result if you choose a dental implant to replace your missing tooth. A dental implant is a titanium post which is surgically implanted into your jawbone. Here is the catch-22: if you've already lost a lot of bone due to gum disease, you may not be a candidate for dental implants. If there is enough bone for a dentist to place the implant into your jawbone, you then must wait for the bone to grow around the implant. This process can take 4-6 months to occur. Once the implant fixture has been integrated into your jaw it is as strong as a brand new tooth root. In Westchester, N.Y. a dental implant post is then placed into the fixture by a cosmetic dentist who can then create a beautiful, strong, and natural looking dental crown.

If multiple teeth are loose or missing you may need to consider either full mouth or partial replacement dentures. In Croton or Westchester, N.Y. dentures can be fabricated by a skilled cosmetic dentist in a much shorter time frame than a dental implant. Dentures, while not inexpensive, are also far more economical to create than dental implants, especially when multiple teeth require replacement.

The downside of dentures or partial dentures is that they are made from a rigid plastic (acrylic) which can move up and down during speech and chewing and create sore areas on the more tender areas of your gum tissue. One solution when many teeth are missing is a compromise to dental implants and dentures. If one or more dental implants are placed on each side of your jaw then a denture can be made to snap into the dental implants resulting in a much more stable and comfortable denture.

Not sure what to do, dental implants vs dentures after gum disease has taken its toll? If you live in or near Westchester NY, Croton-on-Hudson, Scarsdale, or Yorktown, N.Y., feel free to contact cosmetic dentist Dr. Bard J. Levey. Dr. Levey has accumulated over 1000 hours of advanced dental training and his practice, Dr. Bard J. Levey's Smile Design Studio, focuses on the dental wants and needs of adults.