I don’t know if my dentist is saying this just to scare me into dental implants, but thought I’d check just in case. I’m losing my teeth due to a lifetime of both problems that could and couldn’t be controlled. My dentist wanted me to get dental implants, but they cost a fortune. I was considering dentures, but he says they make your face collapse. Is he just trying to scare me into the more important procedure?
Troy M.
Dear Troy,
Has your dentist given you a reason to think he’s manipulated you in the past? If so, that would be an egregious breach of trust between a patient and caregiver. Whatever his character, in this case, he’s right. Though, when he talks about your face collapsing he doesn’t mean your whole face. He’s referring to your jawbone shrinking.
Once you remove all your teeth, your body reabsorbs the minerals in your jawbone to use elsewhere throughout your body. This causes your jawbone to shrink little by little. As that progresses, you’ll no longer be able to wear your dentures because they won’t fit.
Why Your Dentist Suggested Dental Implants
Implants, as their name implies, places a titanium implant into your jawbone. Then after your bone has reabsorbed around the implant and is stable, your dentist can place a porcelain crown on top. Now you’re talking about all your teeth, so you don’t want to pay for a one-to-one ratio dental implants to teeth, unless of course you are independently wealthy.
Generally, you would get implant supported dentures, which is a mixture of the two treatments. It anchors your dentures to your jaw. This prevents you from losing mass in your jawbone and keeps your dentures from slipping and sliding around. Obviously, the more dental implants the better.
Talk to your dentist about what would work best in your particular situation. However, if you don’t trust your dentist, you’d be better served looking for another dentist which you can. Be sure to check their reviews so you get some idea what you’re getting into.
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