Side by side
Dental Implants vs Dentures
This is the decision most of our full-arch patients are making, and the sales pitch on both sides is usually worse than the truth.
Dental Implants vs Dentures
| Dental Implants | Dentures | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Titanium posts fused to the jawbone, with fixed teeth attached | A removable appliance that rests on the gum ridge |
| Comes out at night | No | Yes |
| Bone loss | Slows or stops it, because the bone is still loaded | Does not stop it, so the ridge keeps shrinking underneath |
| Chewing force | Close to natural teeth | Roughly a quarter of natural, less for a lower denture |
| Upfront cost | Substantially higher | Substantially lower |
| Ongoing cost | Hygiene visits, occasional crown replacement | Relines every few years, remake around year seven to ten |
| Time to finish | Three to six months for conventional, same day for All-on-4 provisionals | A few weeks |
| Adhesive | Never | Often, especially on a lower |
| Best for | Anyone who can commit to the cost and healing time | Anyone who needs a solution now, or for whom surgery is not appropriate |
Our take
If cost were not a factor, almost nobody would choose a denture over implants for a lower arch. Cost is a factor. The middle path most patients land on is an implant-retained overdenture: two implants stabilizing a denture, at a fraction of the cost of a full-arch fixed bridge. Ask us about that one specifically.
Dental Implants
A dental implant replaces the root of a missing tooth with a titanium post, then a crown on top of it. It is the only replacement that keeps the jawbone working the way a natural tooth does.
Consider it if:
- You are missing one tooth, several teeth, or all of them
- A bridge or partial denture has started to move, click or trap food
- You want to stop wearing something removable
Dentures
A well-made denture restores chewing and the shape of the lower face. A poorly made one is the reason people give up on dentures altogether.
Consider it if:
- You are missing all the teeth in an arch
- You are missing several teeth and want one appliance to replace them
- Your current denture is loose, sore, or needs adhesive daily
All-on-4 Dental Implants
A full arch of fixed teeth, anchored on four implants and placed in a single day. It is for people who have lost most of an arch, or are being told they are about to, and who do not want a denture that comes out at night.
Consider it if:
- You are missing most or all of the teeth in an arch
- Your current denture moves, rubs, or needs adhesive to stay put
- You have been told there is not enough bone for conventional implants
How we help you decide
We take records, show you what we are looking at on screen, and give you a recommendation with the reasoning attached. Both options above get quoted where both are clinically reasonable, so you are comparing real numbers for your own mouth rather than averages from an article.
If one of them is clearly wrong for your situation, we will say so and explain why. Second opinions are welcome, and we give them straight.
Questions we get asked
How long does a dental implant last?
The post itself is designed to be permanent, and implants placed decades ago are still in service. The crown on top is the part that eventually wears, usually somewhere past the fifteen year mark.
Does getting an implant hurt?
Placement is done under local anesthetic and most people describe it as easier than the extraction that preceded it. Soreness for two or three days is normal. Sedation is available if the idea of the appointment is the hard part.
Will people be able to tell?
A denture designed for your face rather than a stock mold reads as natural. Tooth shape, shade and how much shows when you smile are all choices we make with you at the try-in.
How long until I can eat normally?
Give it a few weeks. Start soft, cut food small, chew on both sides. Lower full dentures take the longest to adapt to.
Do I leave with teeth the same day?
Yes. A fixed provisional bridge goes on at the surgery appointment. It is not the final restoration, and it looks and functions like teeth while you heal.
Is All-on-4 the same as a snap-in denture?
No. A snap-in overdenture clips onto implants and you remove it to clean. An All-on-4 bridge is screwed down and stays in your mouth.
Not sure which?
Honest dentistry, since 1987.
We will tell you what needs doing now, what can wait, and what we would leave alone.
- Over 50,000 patients treated since 1987
- Comprehensive new patient exam including oral cancer screening
- Three doctors and a long-tenured team
- Most major dental plans accepted
Been told you need a lot of work somewhere else? Second opinions are welcome and we give them straight.
Request an appointment
We reply the next business day.
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