When restoring a patient’s smile, dental professionals often have to weigh up the pros and cons of dental implants vs dentures. Both treatment options are effective for replacing missing teeth and improving your smile. However, they differ significantly in terms of cost, procedure, maintenance and permanence.
Before any treatment is conducted, your dentist should carry out a clinical assessment where they’ll assess and talk you through your treatment options.
If you’re considering either of these two treatments, it’s important to understand the differences between both procedures, as this will enable you to make the right decision for your needs. At the Dental Law Partnership, we’re an expert team of dental solicitors, seeking justice for patients who have suffered from dental negligence. We hope that by sharing our knowledge on the subject, you may have a greater ability to discern whether you’ve faced negligence at the hands of your dentist.
If you do think your dentist has behaved negligently when fitting dental implants or dentures, please make an enquiry and we’ll be happy to help.
Dental Implants vs Dentures: A Comparison
First, it’s important to understand the differences between dentures vs dental implants. They’re both common solutions for missing teeth, but they’re also very different procedures.
With a dental implant, your dentist will fit a titanium screw into your jawbone, before placing a replacement tooth (otherwise known as a crown) on top of the screw, mimicking your natural teeth.
Dentures are a set of false teeth moulded to the shape of your mouth, which can be removed when required. Although dentures are commonly associated with dental care for older individuals, they may also be chosen by younger people. Your dentist will usually create a baseplate that fits the shape of your jaw, before the denture teeth are placed on top. Both partial and full dentures are available, depending on your needs – your dentist should be able to advise you accordingly about the best treatment for you.
The Benefits of Dentures
Dentures can be particularly beneficial for people with severe tooth loss. They also tend to be cheaper than dental implants, making them more accessible (although they’ll likely have to be replaced several times during your lifetime).
As they’re not a permanent solution, having dentures fitted is usually a quick and less invasive procedure than implants. Surgery should not be required for dentures, and there’s no need for a lengthy healing process, even though it may take some time to get used to them. The fact that dentures can be removed also means they’re easy to maintain and clean, eliminating the need for complex oral health routines.
Another advantage of dentures is that their modern equivalents are much more natural-looking than previous iterations. Nowadays, it’s difficult to tell whether someone is wearing dentures, boosting both the appearance of the patient’s smile and their confidence. They also help to strengthen the jawline and prevent the ‘sunken look’ that can sometimes appear in people with extreme tooth loss.
Dentures ultimately emerge as a practical and accessible solution to replace missing teeth, and they’re particularly suitable for people with a fear of the dentist or invasive surgeries.
The Advantages of Implants
However, dental implants also offer numerous benefits for people seeking a permanent solution to replace missing teeth. They’re designed to act and feel like your natural teeth, also providing an aesthetically pleasing look. Whilst there may be a lengthy healing process involved, most people find it easier to talk and chew with implants than with dentures, providing another tangible advantage to this form of treatment.
Implants differ from dentures as they act as permanent fake teeth. The crown on top of the implant can last up to 20 years if maintained properly, whereas the implant itself can last a lifetime.
Dental implant procedures are more costly to fit than dentures, but if the patient practices proper care, they’ll usually last throughout your entire lifetime. When you have prominent tooth loss, bone loss can also occur. However, dental implants can prevent this issue, whilst also preserving your jawline. You should also feel less discomfort than when using dentures, as dental implants will feel like your actual teeth.
As implants act like your natural teeth, the cleaning process is largely the same. So long as you follow standard oral hygiene habits (including regular brushing and flossing), you should be able to preserve your smile, also boosting your confidence in the process.
Dentures vs Implants: A Price Comparison
A major factor in your decision-making process will be the cost of your preferred treatment. The price will also be different depending on whether you’re having your treatment carried out by an NHS dentist or a private dentist.
You’ll usually pay more for a set of complete dentures than partial dentures if opting for private treatment. Under the NHS, dentures are classified as a band 3 treatment, with band 3 treatments costing a total of £319.10. However, for private treatment, the price can be anywhere between £500 and £2,500 per set.
Typically, dental implants are not provided through the NHS, so you may have to go private to undergo the procedure. According to Bupa, private dental implants can cost upwards of £2400, although the price can differ depending on the number of implants required.
Procedural Differences: What to Expect with Dentures and Implants
As dental implants vs dentures are two very different treatments, each procedure will differ vastly. Below, we’ve created a comparison of what to expect with each option, in the hope that this may make your decision-making process easier.
You should have an initial consultation with your dentist before your procedure starts. Your dentist should also gain informed consent from you, which includes going through the risks, possible side effects and any alternative treatments available. If your dentist fails to do this, you may be able to open a dental negligence case.
The denture procedure usually follows these steps:
- Impressions of your mouth will be taken to create a customised mouthplate for your dentures.
- Your dentist will then create your dentures – you’ll usually need to have a series of appointments to ensure they fit properly. It’s important to let your dentist know if your dentures aren’t comfortable, so they can make the necessary adjustments.
- You will have a final fitting, before taking your dentures home.
With dental implants, the process is rather different:
- X-rays and scans will need to be taken so your dentist can assess your jawbone structure and density.
- Your dentist will place your implants into the jawbone, attaching them with a titanium screw. After placement, a healing process will be required (usually taking a few months), whilst your implants fuse with the bone.
- Once your implants have fused to your jawbone, you’ll need to return to your dentist. They will then attach an abutment to your implants, which allows them to fit a crown on top to create a natural-looking tooth.
Your dentist should also provide you with the appropriate aftercare advice for cleaning and maintaining your oral health after treatment. If they fail to do this and something goes wrong, you may be able to open a claim for negligence.
Dental Implants vs Dentures: Potential Risks and Complications
Whilst dentures and dental implants are both viable alternatives for tooth loss, they come with their own set of complications. Something rarely goes wrong, but it’s important to be informed of the risks before committing to a treatment.
Dental implant risks include:
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- Surgical complications – As surgery is required for implants, there is a heightened risk of sinus issues, nerve damage, prolonged bleeding and complications with anaesthesia.
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- Integration issues – In some cases, your implants can fail to fuse to your jawbone during the healing process, leading to implant failure.
- Loose or failed implants – Sometimes a dental implant can fail. In these situations, you must speak to your dentist as soon as possible. Signs of a failed implant include pain, swelling, infection and movement of the implant.
Complications associated with dentures include:
- Chewing and speech issues – When you first have your dentures fitted, you may find that you experience issues with eating and speaking. Adapting to dentures can be difficult, but eventually, you will become accustomed to wearing them.
- Comfort – Dentures can be uncomfortable at first, particularly if your dentists have not been fitted and adjusted properly. This can lead to sore spots, pain and irritation.
- Bone resorption – Over time, dentures can contribute to something known as bone resorption (a loss of jawbone volume)
- Maintenance challenges – Dentures require a strict cleaning regimen to ensure longevity and prevent bacterial build-up. If not maintained correctly, you may encounter irritation and an increased risk of infection.
Your dentist has a duty of care to inform you of these issues before starting treatment – if they don’t and something goes wrong, you may be able to start the dental negligence claims process.
Dental Negligence Claims Made Easy
We hope that after reading through this page, any queries about dental implants vs dentures have been answered correctly. Both treatments are suitable options for missing teeth, but it’s worth speaking to your dentist if you have further queries about which procedure is right for your needs.
If you’ve already undergone treatment and you’ve suffered from an injury at the hands of your dentist, you may be able to claim dental negligence compensation. Whilst we can’t tell you the exact amount of compensation you may be entitled to (as every situation is different), you may be able to judge the average payout for dental negligence for your circumstances by viewing our Client Stories page.
To find out more about opening a dental negligence claim, please request a callback from our team of claim experts here.