Implant Alternatives: What Are Your Choices?

Implant Alternatives: What Are Your Choices?

Have you lost one or more teeth and looking for an option to solve this problem? Dental implants are the best way to fill the gap of a missing tooth. Dental implants will be fixed into the jawbone to be a strong, reliable support for the crown which is an artificial tooth. So, dental implants can restore both the beauty and function of your teeth. But sometimes despite the many benefits of dental implants, you may need to think of tooth implant alternatives for various reasons especially when you are not an eligible candidate for tooth implantation surgery. But what dental implant alternatives are there to restore the function of your missing tooth and give you back the beauty of your smile?

In this comprehensive article, we dig into dental implants alternatives and what are their pros and cons compared to teeth implants.

What Are Dental Implants?

First, let’s explain what dental implants are and how they work as a missing tooth restoration option. Dental implants contain three parts: the implant, the abutment, and the crown. The implant is the metal and screw-like part that the dentist inserts into your jawbone to work as your tooth’s root. The abutment is a part that connects the metal implant part to the crown. Then we have crown which is the artificial tooth that can be seen on your gums. The crown will be custom-made to match the color of your teeth and looks natural. With dental implants, you can have an artificial tooth that works and seems exactly like a natural one.

The Reason You Should Think of Implant Alternatives

Although dental implants are an amazing restoration option and have so many benefits, not everyone is eligible to get dental implants. Here are some conditions in which you are not an eligible candidate for dental implants:

  • Uncontrolled Diabetes: Tooth implantation is a minor surgery that needs a good healing process. As you may have heard before, uncontrolled diabetes affects tiny blood vessels negatively so that they become unable to deliver nutrients to the cells. When there is an injury from trauma or surgery, enough nutrients and blood supply are needed for a good healing process. That’s why injuries in people with uncontrolled diabetes cannot be healed properly and this makes them unable to get dental implants. People with uncontrolled diabetes should receive help from a doctor to control their blood sugar to become eligible for dental implants.
  • Autoimmune diseases: Autoimmune disease is a problem in which the immune cells attack the body instead of harmful microorganisms and foreign objects. People with autoimmune diseases should use immunosuppressor medications to reduce these attacks from the immune system. This situation make the immune system weaker and the person becomes more prone to infections. So, in people with immune diseases, there is a higher risk of infection and dental implant failure.
  • Cancer: Patients with cancer in the neck and head areas should not undergo dental implantation surgery. Radiation therapy affects bone mass in a negative way so the bones cannot be a good support for dental implants. Moreover, people with cancer and using chemotherapy medication that weakens their immune disease, are prone to infection so they have a higher risk of implant failure.
  • Gum Disease: Severe gum disease affects all the tissues around teeth, like gums, bones, and ligaments. Gum disease not only increases the risk of infection after dental implant surgery, but also weaken the jawbone. A healthy jawbone is necessary for dental implantation to make a good support for the implant. This is why people with severe and untreated gum disease cannot have dental implants.
  • Certain medications: Being under treatment with certain medications can make a person an ineligible candidate for dental implants. For example, corticosteroids, can suppress the immune system and increase the risk of infection. Bisphosphonates which are used in osteoporosis treatment, can increase the risk of osteonecrosis and implant failure. Some antidepressants and blood thinners can cause complications after dental implantation surgery, so it is necessary to inform your dentists about all of your medications to see if you can have dental implants.

implant alternatives

Dental Implant Alternatives

If you are not an eligible candidate for dental implants because of the mentioned reasons, or have other reasons for not getting dental implants, you may wonder what are tooth implant alternatives. Here are some other options you have to fill the gaps of your missing teeth.

Dentures

Dentures are removable prosthetic pieces that can be partial or a whole set for those who missed all their teeth. these artificial teeth can be made from different materials like acrylic, resin, plastic, or porcelain. Dentures are custom-made in the dental laboratories to fit your jaws properly. Dentures look almost like your natural teeth to restore the beauty of your smile.

Dental Bridges

When you have one or more missing teeth and there are one or more healthy teeth on each side of the gaps, you can use dental bridges. A dental bridge is a raw of 3 or more artificial teeth that the two teeth at the two ends will be bonded on two healthy teeth, and the gap between these two teeth will be filled. The two teeth that dental bridges bond to may need some alteration to ensure a strong bond and prevent wobbling. Bridges are also custom-made prosthetic pieces that look like your natural teeth.

Orthodontic treatment

Orthodontic treatment includes traditional braces and Invisalign clear aligners. These treatments can move your teeth to fill the gap of the missing teeth. this treatment only works when there are only a few missing teeth and the gaps are not large. Orthodontic treatments can also treat other dental issues like misalignments. It will take a considerable amount of time and several visits to reach the results of orthodontic treatment.

Cost of Dental Implant alternatives

Dental implant alternatives cost depend on how many teeth are missing. But in general, we can say that dentures and bridges cost you less initially. That means you pay less for them but they last less than dental implants and you may need to replace them with new ones and that will cost you another dental bill. On the other hand, orthodontic treatment is more expensive than dentures and bridges but its results last longer (even a lifetime with proper care). Also, orthodontic treatment can treat other dental issues like misalignment, along with filling the gaps of the missing teeth.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Dental implants have many benefits and can be considered the best option for filling the place of missing teeth. but not everyone is eligible candidates for dental implants or you may be seeking an implant alternative for different reasons. Dentures, dental bridges, and orthodontic treatment are the alternatives to dental implants. Dentures are artificial teeth that are often used when you have lost a large number of teeth. bridges can use the support of two healthy teeth and fill the gap between them with artificial teeth. Orthodontic treatments can fill minor gaps from one or two missing teeth by moving your remaining teeth. all these options have their own pros and cons so to choose wisely between them, consult an experienced dentist.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to fix the missing teeth’s gaps without implants?

If you lost your teeth and you don’t want dental implants, you can use dentures, bridges or orthodontic treatments depending on your needs.

Are dentures a good alternative to dental implants?

Although dental implants are considered the best option because of their durability and their ability to preserve the jaw bones and make them stay healthy, dentures can be a good option for those who cannot have dental implants or looking for more affordable options. Dentures are affordable compared to implants especially when you want a whole set of teeth, which makes them a good alternative to dental implants.

 

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