This article, part 4 of 4, takes a comprehensive look at the benefits of dental implants as a tooth replacement solution over traditional removable dentures.

This article series has been dedicated to providing edentulous (not having a single original adult tooth left) and near-edentulous patients with a much better understanding of their tooth replacement options. Removable dentures were once the most common way of replacing a mouth of missing teeth, but with dental implant protocol and technology becoming more and more sophisticated, Colorado dentists are urging patients to reconsider following in the footsteps of their parents and grandparents. Removable dentures simply don't rival dental implants in the quality of life they offer patients requiring a new set of teeth, say Colorado dentists. Dental implants offer a comprehensive and long-term solution to rampant tooth loss and edentulism; one that is superior when measured in bite functionality, oral comfort, smile aesthetics and even costs.

In this article, the final of a four-part series, we shall provide a brief summary of all the points already covered by these Colorado dentists as well as a few others that have not yet been discussed.

Colorado Dentists Say: Removable Dentures versus Dental Implants

According to Colorado dentists, when patients look for a tooth replacement solution, they ideally want something that is as close to their natural teeth as possible; something that functions, feels and looks like the original adult teeth they have lost over the years. To put it simply, no other tooth replacement technology offers a solution as comparable to natural teeth as dental implants, say Colorado dentists. Dental implants consist of tiny titanium fixtures or screws that are inserted into the jaw bone at the site/s of the missing tooth or teeth. A ceramic tooth crown or customized prosthetic dental bridge is then attached by Colorado dentists and permanently supported by this fixture, providing patients with a non-removable set of teeth. Because dental implants replace the entire tooth, from the root to the crown, they afford patients a great number and diversity of advantages over removable dentures. And to recap (with further additions), here they are:

• Dental implants are non-removable, so they don't need to be taken out for cleaning after meals or at nighttime. In fact, say Colorado dentists, they are cared for just like your natural teeth.

• Dental implants reap all the support they need directly from the jaw. So, not only do they feel completely natural, but they also don't cause any damage to the adjacent teeth; or pain, discomfort or inflammation of the underlying soft tissue.

• The customized prosthetic dental bridge used for complete oral rehabilitation is supported entirely by dental implants and as such, is carefully fabricated to fit the gums snugly, without the need for additional bulk. As a result, and unlike dentures, it doesn't in any way negatively affect a patient's smile quality, nor does it impede taste ability. According to Colorado dentists, dentures can even trigger the gag reflex; a problem that implant supported bridges don't cause.

• Dental implants promote the health of the underlying jaw bone, thus preserving a patient's natural facial contours, say Colorado dentists.

• Dental implants require a one-time investment, whereas removable dentures come hand-in-hand with repeated expenses (anesthetic gels, cleaning agents, adhesives, etc.) as well as the need for refitting every few years or so.

• Dental implants enable patients to bite down with a greater force, say Colorado dentists. This allows them to eat all the foods they love without struggling with any pain or discomfort.

• Dental implants, if placed by qualified and experienced Colorado dentists and cared for properly by patients can last decades without the need for any restoration, making them the longest-term teeth replacement solution on the market!

But perhaps best of all, dental implants allow patients to smile with complete confidence; confidence in the knowledge that even though they have lost all of their original adult teeth, they can still eat all the foods they love, speak without self-consciousness and lead a life of much improved quality. All thanks to dental implants and the skilled Colorado dentists that place them!