Dealing with missing teeth doesn’t affect just your confidence in your appearance. It also ties into your overall oral health.
As a result, opting for tooth replacement procedures aims to address both cosmetic and functional concerns with your smile. But if the cost of dental care is keeping you from restoring your oral health, you might wonder which is the most affordable tooth replacement.
Keep reading to learn the answer.
Are Dentures an Affordable Option?
Dentures are the most affordable way to replace a missing tooth in Long Beach. Most patients know dentures as artificial teeth that replace the entire row of teeth on the arch. These are known as full dentures, but what if you only have one missing tooth?
In this case, you’d opt for partial dentures, which can replace one or more missing teeth. If the rest of your teeth are perfectly healthy, partial dentures are an excellent way to restore your smile on a tight budget.
Pros of Partial Dentures
Apart from their cost, partial dentures come with the following extra benefits:
- Non-invasive treatment: Partial dentures are a great solution for patients with jawbone loss, gum issues, and other oral health problems because they are non-invasive and don’t require a healing period;
- Natural results: Modern dentures look better than their older counterparts. A partial denture is custom-made to blend in perfectly with the rest of your teeth;
- Easy maintenance: Partial dentures are removable, allowing patients easy ways to take care of them;
- Comfort: Dentures are made to fit your arch perfectly, so they are a very comfortable solution to replacing missing teeth.
Cons of Partial Dentures
Both partial and full dentures can have these drawbacks:
- Adjustment period: Though comfortable, patients need some time to adjust to their new dentures. They have a break-in time of around one week or so;
- Pressure on abutment teeth: Partial dentures need to be anchored to two natural teeth to stay fixed. This can place extra pressure on the teeth, potentially leading to damage down the line;
- Jawbone health: Since dentures don’t replace the tooth’s root, they cannot properly stimulate the jawbone. As a result, patients with full or partial dentures can still experience bone loss over time;
- Increased risk of oral health issues: Dentures are removable, so they do allow easy maintenance. But if patients fail to brush and floss their teeth every night, partial dentures can trap food and bacteria, leading to increased risks for cavities or gum disease.
Are Partial Dentures Right for You? Here’s How to Find Out
A short consultation with our Long Beach dentist can reveal if partial dentures are the right solution for you.
Request a visit to Heartwell Dental online and stop by to learn how you can restore your smile!
Have more questions about dentures or other tooth replacements? Call us at (562) 421-9411 for a short chat!
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