In case you haven’t heard, smiling is great for your health.

According to Psychology Today, smiling makes you look younger and thinner, elevates your mood, promotes a sense of well-being, and can even predict your lifespan. (Spoiler alert: people who smile tend to live longer.)

And a good smile starts with your teeth.

Unfortunately, despite advancements in dental care, WebMD reports that millions of Americans suffer from tooth loss due to decay, disease, or injury.

The good news is that several options are available for those who yearn for that dream smile, even without their natural teeth. But before you opt for the seemingly cheapest and most convenient option, it’s important to know the facts.

Here’s what you need to understand about dentures and implants when you’re considering which one is right for you.

Dentures

For several decades, the go-to method of replacing missing teeth was dentures, but that trend has started to shift. Dr. Bryan Hendriks of Dream Dental explained why dentures are not necessarily the best option available.

The cons:

“A denture completely blocks the inside of the roof of the mouth,” Hendriks said. “The biggest problem with that is that you’re not going to be able to taste the food that you want.”

Aside from blocking some of your tastebuds, dentures also fall out easily, are less comfortable, and are expensive to maintain.

“To keep the denture fitting well, you have to reline it often — meaning that you have to add material into it,” Hendriks said. “The second you take your teeth out, you start to lose bone.”

The pros:

Dentures can be a good option for people who have lost all of their teeth and don’t have the finances to afford implants. Simply put, they’re better than nothing.

But since dentures can make a person’s profile look drastically different, Hendriks advises against them if your only goal is a better-looking smile.

“Don’t let a doctor convince you that a denture is the best option unless you truly have exhausted every resource possible,” he said.

Overdentures (known as ‘snap-in dentures’)

One step up from dentures is overdentures, which are also known as “snap-in dentures.” These differ from traditional dentures in that they have at least two or four implants to connect them. This allows the denture to snap in like buttons on a shirt.

The pros:

Because these dentures snap-in, this will keep them in while you’re talking.

The cons:

As you start to chew and eat, the denture will dislodge and the rings underneath can move or wear down. This leads to higher costs for cleaning and relining.

“Well over 60% of my patients have upgraded to a different device because of these maintenance costs,” Hendriks said.

Overall, overdentures are better than regular dentures, but if you’re going to spend the money, there are better options available.

All-on-4® dental implants

An All-on-4® dental implant bridge is a screw-retained device, supported on as few as four dental implants, and permanently replaces an entire arch of teeth. It is the most functional choice and performs like your natural teeth.

These implants come in two options: titanium or zirconia. The titanium implant has acrylic around the titanium bar with denture teeth on top, but the zirconia device is one piece.

The pros:

If beauty is your main concern, rest assured that both options are stunning. And because the zirconia implants are highly customizable, you can achieve that picture-perfect Hollywood gleam, if that’s your goal. The device is designed on a computer, meaning you can choose exactly the size, shape, or shade you want.

The titanium device is built from the same material used to make space shuttles, but the zirconia is made of the strongest material known in dentistry.

“It can take so much more pressure and strength, we don’t have to worry about a tooth breaking off or a tooth wearing down,” Hendriks said.

The ceramic surface of the zirconia device is also the most hygienic option of all dental implants.

The cons:

According to Hendriks, the biggest problem with combining a titanium bar with the acrylic and denture teeth is that patients who bite down the wrong way often have problems with teeth popping off. Over time, the teeth on the titanium implant will wear down. Because acrylic absorbs saliva, this also makes the titanium implant harder to clean.

The only con for the zirconia? The price. Because the custom implant takes much longer to create, this makes them the most expensive option.

However, the lower maintenance could end up balancing the budget when all is said and done.

“At the end of the day, the cost you would pay in maintenance with the titanium, you will make that difference up in the zirconia,” Hendriks said.

Get your dream smile

Each one of the options listed above works for certain people. To know what’s best for you, it’s important to get a professional opinion.

As you find yourself searching for the right dental provider, it can be challenging to know where to go. At Dream Dental, you’ll receive the best patient care available at the hands of highly-experienced dental implant experts.

With a virtually painless procedure, state-of-the-art equipment, and a convenient downtown location, Dream Dental has everything you need to achieve your dream smile. For more information or to schedule a free consultation, call 801-682-4519.

This was an article featured on KSL.com! https://www.ksl.com/article/46703710/know-all-of-your-options-before-settling-for-dentures

Living with tooth pain isn’t just uncomfortable, it can cause serious health issues if left unchecked. Whether the pain is caused by decay, a fracture, a damaged filling, infected gums, or some other disease, the symptoms are uncomfortable at best and dangerous at worst.

WebMD recommends going to see your dentist if you have a toothache that lasts longer than one or two days, if your pain is severe, or if you have a fever, earache, or pain when you open your mouth wide.

Depending on the cause of your pain, your dentist might recommend a tooth extraction if the symptoms of decay are severe enough. While there are a few popular options available, Dream Dental’s All-on-4® dental implants should be at the top of your list.

Where traditional dentures have long been the go-to option for pain-causing tooth replacement, the All-on-4® method has the advantage over traditional dentures in every way. Here are just a few of the reasons that Dream Dental’s All-on-4® dental implants are the best choice for tooth replacement.

Replaces all teeth

The name All-on-4® comes from the ability to replace all of your teeth, top, and bottom, with as few as four implants. That means the procedure can be done in as little as one day. With a practice that is dedicated to implants only, Dream Dental specializes in replacing all of your teeth.

Feels and functions like natural teeth

Another advantage that comes with the All-on-4® method over traditional dentures is how your new teeth will feel and function after the procedure. Patients say these implants feel like your natural teeth — not something taking up space in your mouth. This permanent solution has a biting force close to that of your normal teeth — up to 250 pounds.

Teeth are permanently fixed into place

Unlike traditional dentures, these devices are built on a foundation of dental implants that fuse to your natural bone, allowing the dental implants to literally become part of your body. This method allows for a more stable, durable, comfortable, and beautiful option for patients who want to permanently get rid of tooth pain.

Eat the foods that you desire

Dentures don’t allow for a wide range of food options. By their nature, they can’t give you the bite force that your natural teeth — or implants — can give. With All-on-4® dental implants, you have the ability to eat your favorite chewy foods such as steak, apples, and corn on the cob without a problem.

Preserves your jawbone and helps maintain a more youthful facial structure

One problem that traditional denture wearers face is the inevitable decay of the jawbones. Once a bone begins to decay, so does the shape and structure of your face.

With All-on-4® dental implants, the titanium screws used to secure your implants fuse to the bone and become a part of it, keeping your bones healthy and thriving for life. You’ll have a much more youthful facial structure when compared to the lifetime effects that traditional dentures have.

A long-term solution that is the best value

Dream Dental’s All-on-4® dental implants are a long-term, rest-of-your-life solution to tooth pain and decay, and it’s a great value. Traditional dentures require constant, costly adjustments to ensure fit and comfort, not to mention other expenses for adhesives and soaking solutions. Over the years, these costs add up.

However, with the All-on-4® implants, there is no need for relines and adjustments. Because the prosthetic is fused to the bone, there are hardly any costly maintenance expenses required.

Looks natural

Some patients requiring tooth extraction might be concerned with how they will look after the procedure. With traditional dentures, this would be a valid concern. Your smile, face, and mouth might all look slightly different and unnatural. Not to mention, your speech might be affected.

With All-on-4® dental implants you can have complete confidence in smiling, laughing, eating, speaking, and enjoying all your normal social situations without fear of looking unnatural.

Fully customizable dream smile

Dream Dental Implant Center is the most experienced office in Utah, specializing only in dental implants, which means the staff will be able to work with you on customizing exactly how you would like your smile and teeth to appear. Living with tooth pain can be a real burden. Dream Dental can fix that.

If you have ongoing issues with your teeth, stop settling for temporary fixes and end the problem once and for all with one procedure. If you would like to learn more about all of their dental implant procedures and options, please book your free, one-hour consultation with Dream Dental on their website. You can also call for more information at (801) 326-4776.

 

This article is featured on ksl.com: https://www.ksl.com/article/46689132/how-to-get-permanent-relief-from-dental-pain

Traditional dentures are now a thing of the past. At Dream Dental Implant Center, denture-wearing patients are experiencing life-changing results in upgrading their traditional dentures with dentures with All-on-4® dental implants and regaining their bite functionality, comfort, confidence and quality of life.

The truth is that when it comes to dental implant structured devices and traditional dentures, there is no comparison. Unlike traditional dentures, these devices are built on a foundation of dental implants that fuse to your natural bone, allowing the dental implants to literally become part of your body.

Building a prosthetic device on this foundation of implants allows for a more stable, durable, comfortable, and beautiful option for patients who currently wear dentures, or think they may need them. Here are the top three reasons you shouldn’t settle for traditional dentures.

1. Stronger bite force means eating all the foods you love
Humans have naturally powerful jaws and teeth because of our varied diet. Generally, your bite force with your natural teeth (at their healthiest) is strong — falling somewhere between 200-250 pounds of force. The reality is, traditional dentures are not a viable option if you want to get anywhere near the same level of bite force.

With traditional dentures, statistically, your bite force goes down to less than 50 pounds of force. With this change in force, your bite force goes from a steak dinner to a bowl of soup.

Traditional dentures are not able to give you the strength you need for the life you want. Upgrading your dentures to an implant-supported prosthetic such as an Over Denture increases your bite force to 167-235 pounds of force. What we recommend as the best option for any patient, and for you to get the most enjoyment out of being able to eat again, is the All-on-Four dental implant procedure that increases your bite force to nearly 250 pounds!

2. Less maintenance means more money in your pocket
The sad reality is that once a tooth is extracted, the bone starts to recede, and your gums start to recede as well and lay flatter and flatter. Dentures are made to fit your gums as they are the day they are made. While they initially will fit well, as time passes traditional dentures will begin to progressively fit looser and less tight to your gums as your bone and gums recede and flatten out.

What this means for you is endless adjustments and relines of your dentures, which generally cost a few hundred dollars every one to two years. Upgrading to an implant-supported prosthetic, which is fused to the bone and holds bone and gum levels from receding, eliminates the need for adjustments and relines, minimizing the need for costly maintenance payments. Plus, think of all the money you’ll save not having to shell out money to buy messy denture adhesives and soaking solutions!

3. Better design means less bone loss and better quality of life with improved appearance
Traditional dentures merely sit inside your mouth and are held in place by adhesive, suction and the will of the universe. Seriously. For them to work, the design had to be such that the upper pallet (roof of the mouth) has to be covered. Most people don’t realize that a ton of your taste buds are actually on the roof of your mouth! With an implant-supported prosthetic device, not only are you able to have the bite force you need to enjoy the foods you love, and the open pallet you’ll have will allow you to actually taste the foods you eat!

All-on-4® dental implants also allow you to forgo the gagging reflex due to the open pallet design, allow you to speak more clearly than with a traditional denture, reduce the instances of pain and mouth infections, and save you the embarrassment of having your teeth suddenly pop out on their own.

Most traditional denture wearers tend to be apprehensive about wearing their dentures. They often stop themselves from smiling and laughing, not feeling as confident as they could. The All-on-4® Dental Implant procedure is a long-lasting, permanent solution to all of the problems presented by dentures. You will regain your ability to taste and enjoy your foods, you’ll regain your confidence and be able to laugh and smile again freely without fear of anything falling out.

Change your smile, change your life
If you’re tired of your dentures, or if you have ongoing issues with your teeth and are ready for a permanent solution and would like to learn more about all of our dental implant procedures and options, please book your free, one-hour consultation with Dream Dental Implant Center. Or if you’d like to give us a call instead, please call us at (801) 326-4776.

This article was Featured on KSL!