Denture partial or implants?

V

Victor

Senior Member
Location
midwest USA
My teeth are in awful shape. (and I am not a big eater). I need dental implants or a partial
on one side of mouth, which is empty, nothing, there. Partials are much cheaper, but I would hate removing them, cleaning them, every day. If I dont, then the tooth could decay or get infected Implants involve dental surgery, takes a long time, and costs over $2000. a tooth. (No dental vacations for me.) Total may be $9000. or more.
Also, I dont entirely trust dentists. Mistakes happen. But this is a hateful forced choice. Doing nothing may be worse.
Meanwhile, eating soft food is not much pleasure. Distressing.
I have the money and my discount plan covers only 20% If you have experience with this, what you say?
 

My teeth are pretty good, but a few years back I lost a molar. It's a long story going back to shipboard dental care in the Navy.

I elected to replace my tooth with a partial. I'm an old man and couldn't see paying thousands for an implant that will just be burned up in a few years.

Were I much younger, I would have gone with the implant because they are more like natural teeth in performance and appearance.

Good luck.
 
My mom spent $10,000 getting implants. She didn't complain about them, so I guess they were okay, but she died later that year. I remember feeling sorry for her for all the long dental appointments she had to go to when getting them. Now I feel bad that I didn't talk to her about them, but when she suddenly had a lot of big white teeth in her shriveled mid-eighties face it looked horrible to me so I didn't want to bring up the subject.
 
About 40 years ago I got a partial which was glued to the existing teeth. They are not removable so there is no need to remove and clean them separately. After a week or so, they were a part of me and I never had a problem with them. I brush normally.
 
Age is starting to catch up with my teeth, also. About 2 years ago, I had to get a partial...5 teeth...on my lower jaw. I was originally thinking about having them all pulled and going for full dentures, but my dentist said it would be better to just go with a partial. I went to another dentist for a "2nd opinion" and was told the same. My insurance covered half of the cost, and after a couple of weeks of getting used to them, I'm doing ok. Some food gets caught under them when I eat, but I've gotten used to taking them out and rinsing good. When I take my daily shower, I pull them and soak them in a cup of denture cleaner, and that seems to keep them clean.

The long term solution would probably be a full set of implants, but I would almost have to win the Lottery to afford the $50k to $60K that would cost...plus days/weeks of ongoing surgery.
 
Over the years I've had a variety of partials and in each case, the teeth supporting them wore out and had to be removed.

Now I have a traditional full denture on the upper and a lower full denture supported by a Hader bar that is implanted into the roots of two teeth that were preserved for that purpose. Now the roots are decaying and the Hadar bar is failing.

The only option available to me is a conventional lower denture held in place with denture adhesive.

I asked about some form of implants to replace my lower denture and was told that there was not enough bone to support them.

I would have no problem with a traditional upper denture that has a large area of support using the upper jaw and roof of the mouth but I would do whatever I could afford to avoid a traditional lower denture that has very little support on the ridge of the lower jaw.

Good luck with your decision.
 
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I lost some teeth in a HS football game and over the years I had the same experience as @Aunt Bea. My solution, at no small expense, was implants. If done right they take time at our age but are worth it if you can spring for them.
 
Chet said:
About 40 years ago I got a partial which was glued to the existing teeth. They are not removable so there is no need to remove and clean them separately. After a week or so, they were a part of me and I never had a problem with them. I brush normally.
Click to expand...
This is the first I've heard about cementing false teeth into place. I'm intrigued. I'm gonna go read about it.
 
I also had 2 teeth broken during a high school football game. Actually, 1 was cracked up the center and the tooth next to it was broken off, so back then, my parents had me fitted with a partial. Several years later as dental technology evolved, I decided to go with Implants to avoid having to take out the partial, clean it and then soak it overnight.

I am happy with the results, but yes, the procedure was expensive. Toughest thing for me was waiting the 4 months between having the abutment installed and the crown screwed on. I had good insurance using my state police dental plan and my part cost $1200.00 for both implants.
 
Victor said:
My teeth are in awful shape. (and I am not a big eater). I need dental implants or a partial
on one side of mouth, which is empty, nothing, there. Partials are much cheaper, but I would hate removing them, cleaning them, every day. If I dont, then the tooth could decay or get infected Implants involve dental surgery, takes a long time, and costs over $2000. a tooth. (No dental vacations for me.) Total may be $9000. or more.
Also, I dont entirely trust dentists. Mistakes happen. But this is a hateful forced choice. Doing nothing may be worse.
Meanwhile, eating soft food is not much pleasure. Distressing.
I have the money and my discount plan covers only 20% If you have experience with this, what you say?
Click to expand...
There was a TV programme on here several months ago, where
some Americans from Arizona or New Mexico, or some other
place that borders Mexico, where they were all queued up at
the border to cross over, to get their teeth fixed for a fraction
of the price!

They all looked as if they could have had them done in the USA,
but they reckoned it was far too expensive and that the Mexican
Dentists were very good.

Mike.
 
Mike said:
There was a TV programme on here several months ago, where
some Americans from Arizona or New Mexico, or some other
place that borders Mexico, where they were all queued up at
the border to cross over, to get their teeth fixed for a fraction
of the price!

They all looked as if they could have had them done in the USA,
but they reckoned it was far too expensive and that the Mexican
Dentists were very good.

Mike.
Click to expand...
I think Mexico is like the U.S. in that there are both good and bad practitioners. Seeing U.S. dental websites warning about Mexican implants means they're being competitive. Either way, you need to be well informed on the place in advance. Having seen (but not experienced) failed implants, I can assure you it can be most unpleasant.
 
I went to a biologic dentist in Tijuana, Mexico in the 1990s, and a few times since then.
The cost was a fraction compared to the States. They did much better work and there was no pain!

I would most definitely go with partials or dentures, and never with implants, which can totally mess up the bone structure in your jaw.

With dentures, your gums and jaw are left alone so they can heal and keep providing structure for your mouth.

Dentures are easier to take care of than brushing your teeth.
You can file, smooth and adjust them on your own, and if they no longer fit well then you can have them replaced.
 
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Our Son-in-Laws parents used to spend their Winters in Brownsville, TX., just minutes from Mexico. They had their vision and dental work done in Mexico, for a fraction of the US costs...and were well pleased with the results.
 
Mike said:
There was a TV programme on here several months ago, where
some Americans from Arizona or New Mexico, or some other
place that borders Mexico, where they were all queued up at
the border to cross over, to get their teeth fixed for a fraction
of the price!

They all looked as if they could have had them done in the USA,
but they reckoned it was far too expensive and that the Mexican
Dentists were very good.

Mike.
Click to expand...
I have an in-law who used to go to Syria to get his dentures made and repaired for something like $20 (about 20 yrs ago). He went to visit relatives anyway, so got that stuff taken care of while he was there.
 
I am missing 3 teeth, back lower molars, 2 on one side, 1 on the other. I have one implant that replaces the forward most tooth, nothing for the back 2.

I generally like the implant, but it is not quite as good as a real tooth not bad though. It sure cost me a lot. And it was a long relatively painful/uncomfortable process, starting with extraction of the bad one. Then a marrow implant, then the post was put in, and finally the tooth, something like a year beginning to end.

My wife has 3 implants and one has caused her problems, hits a nerve or something, causes her pain. But she says she likes them better than bridge/crown things she had before. Again very costly, and a long process.

I am going to just live without my still missing back molars. I do notice a difference, can't chew quite as well, but I don't want to go through the process again.

The extracted teeth were bad a long time, one of them for over 20 years before I had it pulled. I went through a series of root canals and infections in all 3. Some of the root canals lasted 10+ years, but if I had it to do it over again I would have had them pulled much earlier, and skipped the root canal thing. Extraction is the least of it all, and provides nearly instantaneous relief. However I guess it is better to decide on the implants when you are getting the extraction done, if you need marrow implants that is the best time to do it. Or so I was told...
 
911 said:
I also had 2 teeth broken during a high school football game. Actually, 1 was cracked up the center and the tooth next to it was broken off, so back then, my parents had me fitted with a partial. Several years later as dental technology evolved, I decided to go with Implants to avoid having to take out the partial, clean it and then soak it overnight.

I am happy with the results, but yes, the procedure was expensive. Toughest thing for me was waiting the 4 months between having the abutment installed and the crown screwed on. I had good insurance using my state police dental plan and my part cost $1200.00 for both implants.
Click to expand...
Yes, that 4-6 month wait is for "Osseointegration" to take place. How's that for a fancy word? šŸ˜ Bone has to grow into the screw threads in the implant to anchor it before the crown can be installed.
 
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I lean toward implants only because I would not be happy taking out my dentures and cleaning them every day and at night! If I don't do this infection and cavities may occur. Food is stuck in dentures. Implants also need conscientious cleaning that I neglect. I tend to clean stuff very superficially because I am lazy. I would rather do anything else. Alligatorob. Interesting Sorry story. . I knew a lady with only 1 tooth left in her mouth. Weird. I have 2 referrals to surgeons but that only means the dentist does business with them and gets a commission. All my adult life I had teeth problems. Over 50 years
 

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