{"id":1140,"date":"2020-09-23T00:41:00","date_gmt":"2020-09-23T00:41:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.smilespringfield.com\/blog\/?p=1140"},"modified":"2025-06-25T03:05:33","modified_gmt":"2025-06-25T03:05:33","slug":"jawbone-preservation-dentures-dental-implants","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.smilespringfield.com\/blog\/2020\/09\/23\/jawbone-preservation-dentures-dental-implants\/","title":{"rendered":"Implants vs. Dentures: Which Is Superior?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"Dental<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re missing teeth, you certainly aren\u2019t alone. Did you know that approximately 178 million Americans are missing at least one tooth? There are all sorts of different options out there when it comes to replacing them, and it can be difficult to decipher what your best option is \u2013 dentures or implants? Continue reading to learn more about the two different tooth replacement options as well as how jawbone preservation should play a role in your decision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Why Does Bone Loss Occur?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The most common cause of jawbone shrinkage is tooth loss. When you chew, you are stimulating your jawbone via your natural tooth root. When your teeth are missing, your jawbone doesn\u2019t get this stimulation that it needs to stay strong. Over time, it will begin slowly breaking down the bone. This can happen fairly quickly. In fact, up to 25% of the bone surrounding the missing tooth could be lost in just a year after having a tooth extracted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Do Dentures Solve Tooth Loss?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This popular tooth replacement option is made from a hard resin and are custom-made to fit in your mouth and provide a natural-looking smile. Generally, they are held into place by natural suction. They have many great benefits and can be absolutely life-changing for people who are missing multiple or all of their teeth. Even though they preserve the facial structure and restore the ability to chew, they don\u2019t prevent jawbone shrinkage. Because your bone structure continues to change when you have dentures, they eventually need to be replaced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Do Dental Implants Solve Tooth Loss?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Dental implants<\/a> are small titanium posts that are surgically placed directly into the jawbone. They are the only tooth replacement option that replaces the natural root of the tooth, therefore stimulating the jawbone as if your natural tooth is still there. This prevents bone loss in the future. Over the healing process, the titanium fuses to the jawbone in a process known as osseointegration. Beside maintaining the integrity of the jawbone, here are some other benefits implants have over dentures:<\/p>\n\n\n\n