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Common Health Magazine / Zheng Guangxian February 11, 2013
After Common Health published "The Three Major Traps of Dental Implants That Dentists Don’t Tell You" in September 2012, several dentists wrote in to share their clinical experiences, advising that dentures should be preferred over implants whenever possible. Here’s one such letter for readers’ reference.
After carefully reading Common Health’s "The Three Major Traps of Dental Implants That Dentists Don’t Tell You," I agree that the article is largely accurate—few publications discuss this topic in such detail. However, there are other pitfalls worth noting. Many people remain confused about whether to choose implants or dentures and hold misconceptions about the quality of such treatments. Thus, I’ve decided to share my years of clinical insights.
**Q1: Are Implants Superior to Dentures?**
The primary goal of any medical treatment should be to provide the most time-saving, cost-effective, simple, and safe diagnostic and therapeutic methods, with the patient’s best interest as the top priority.
Unfortunately, under the influence of capitalism, healthcare has become increasingly commercialized. Dental implants are no longer a "Linsanity" but an "implant frenzy," touted as the hottest treatment—largely due to misinformation among both the public and dentists.
Implants are just one option for tooth loss, not the first choice, but rather a last resort when no other options remain. In many cases, traditional dentures—whether fixed or removable—can still deliver satisfactory results. Most situations do not absolutely require implants (there’s no need to use a sledgehammer to crack a nut). However, achieving high-quality traditional denture treatment is not easy, leading many practitioners to aggressively promote implants as the superior option.
Over my 30 years of practice, I’ve often encountered patients struggling with uncomfortable dentures who say, "I don’t know how to choose a skilled practitioner and feel helpless."
Many patients and providers are unclear about the standards of successful treatment. Even if a patient feels "somewhat satisfied," an expert evaluation might reveal the results fall far short of success. Adverse effects of implants often only emerge after prolonged use.
Traditional dentures have a much longer history than implants. A large-scale literature review found that traditional fixed dentures have a roughly 10% rate of biological complications (e.g., recurrent cavities, periodontal disease, pulp disease) and biomechanical issues (e.g., loosening, fractures) over 10 years. In contrast, within five years of implantation, peri-implantitis (inflammation of the jawbone and gums), loosening or breakage of implant components, and failure rates range from 20% to 50%.
**Q2: Are Implants More Invasive and Riskier Than Traditional Dentures?**
Beyond the risk of infection at the surgical site, implants carry other risks such as bleeding, pain, swelling, poor healing, complications from local anesthesia, and the potential need for additional surgeries if results fall short of expectations.
More severe complications include osteomyelitis, cellulitis, sinusitis, sepsis, subcutaneous emphysema, facial bruising/swelling, temporary or permanent numbness in the lips, jaw, teeth, or tongue, difficulty opening the mouth, intraoral scarring, and the need for additional surgical materials (soft or hard tissue). In cases of implant failure, removal surgery may be required, during which the artificial root may become prematurely exposed.
One study noted that more serious complications, such as damage to the mandibular nerve causing permanent numbness in the lips, teeth, or tongue, occur in 5–15% of cases. Rarer complications include life-threatening tongue-artery bleeding leading to respiratory distress (even vegetative states) or fatal sinus infections from upper-jaw procedures.
**Q3: What Are the Drawbacks of Traditional Dentures?**
Traditional dentures also have downsides, such as potential damage to adjacent natural teeth (which may require root canals). However, these issues are often tied to treatment quality rather than inherent flaws in the method itself.I had a patient who received dental implants in both the upper and lower jaws. A few years later, the upper implant protruded through the nostril, resulting in failure. He went through four or five sets of full dentures, each of which encountered issues one after another, leaving him very dissatisfied. It wasn’t until he got a new set of full dentures that he said he no longer needed denture adhesive. The new dentures stayed secure while eating and speaking, didn’t fall out, allowed him to eat harder foods like peanuts, improved his sense of taste, and gradually helped him gain weight.
Source: http:/ / tw. news. yahoo. com/ % E8……4% 8D% E7% 89% 99- 082721035. html;_ylt=Ase7Pn2rQsJNq1SRWFGAfIi8BdF_;_ylu=X3oDMTRlMTdnZWw0BG1pdANTZW50aW1lbnQgVG9kYXkEcGtnAzI1NGEyZDA1LTVmZDktMzIzZS1iMzEzLThiYzE2ODcxZmFiMwRwb3MDMgRzZWMDbWVkaWFtb3N0c2VudGltZW50LWluZm9ybWF0aXZlBHZlcgM0NmI2MGE4MC03NDJhLTExZTItYjBmYS0xZTE0MzdmMjViOWQ-;_ylg=X3oDMTNiNWFqbXBwBGludGwDdHcEbGFuZwN6aC1oYW50LXR3BHBzdGFpZAM3NDI2ZmU0OC0zNWM0LTNhMTYtODBkMy1jZDhmN2M2MjI5NzYEcHN0Y2F0A.iyoee2k3znkIbosqHlsLHmpa0EcHQDc3RvcnlwYWdl;_ylv=3
Senior Dentist's Honest Advice: Choose Dentures over Implants!
After Common Health published "The Three Major Traps of Dental Implants That Dentists Don’t Tell You" in September 2012, several dentists wrote in to share their clinical experiences, advising that dentures should be preferred over implants whenever possible. Here’s one such letter for readers’ reference.
After carefully reading Common Health’s "The Three Major Traps of Dental Implants That Dentists Don’t Tell You," I agree that the article is largely accurate—few publications discuss this topic in such detail. However, there are other pitfalls worth noting. Many people remain confused about whether to choose implants or dentures and hold misconceptions about the quality of such treatments. Thus, I’ve decided to share my years of clinical insights.
**Q1: Are Implants Superior to Dentures?**
The primary goal of any medical treatment should be to provide the most time-saving, cost-effective, simple, and safe diagnostic and therapeutic methods, with the patient’s best interest as the top priority.
Unfortunately, under the influence of capitalism, healthcare has become increasingly commercialized. Dental implants are no longer a "Linsanity" but an "implant frenzy," touted as the hottest treatment—largely due to misinformation among both the public and dentists.
Implants are just one option for tooth loss, not the first choice, but rather a last resort when no other options remain. In many cases, traditional dentures—whether fixed or removable—can still deliver satisfactory results. Most situations do not absolutely require implants (there’s no need to use a sledgehammer to crack a nut). However, achieving high-quality traditional denture treatment is not easy, leading many practitioners to aggressively promote implants as the superior option.
Over my 30 years of practice, I’ve often encountered patients struggling with uncomfortable dentures who say, "I don’t know how to choose a skilled practitioner and feel helpless."
Many patients and providers are unclear about the standards of successful treatment. Even if a patient feels "somewhat satisfied," an expert evaluation might reveal the results fall far short of success. Adverse effects of implants often only emerge after prolonged use.
Traditional dentures have a much longer history than implants. A large-scale literature review found that traditional fixed dentures have a roughly 10% rate of biological complications (e.g., recurrent cavities, periodontal disease, pulp disease) and biomechanical issues (e.g., loosening, fractures) over 10 years. In contrast, within five years of implantation, peri-implantitis (inflammation of the jawbone and gums), loosening or breakage of implant components, and failure rates range from 20% to 50%.
**Q2: Are Implants More Invasive and Riskier Than Traditional Dentures?**
Beyond the risk of infection at the surgical site, implants carry other risks such as bleeding, pain, swelling, poor healing, complications from local anesthesia, and the potential need for additional surgeries if results fall short of expectations.
More severe complications include osteomyelitis, cellulitis, sinusitis, sepsis, subcutaneous emphysema, facial bruising/swelling, temporary or permanent numbness in the lips, jaw, teeth, or tongue, difficulty opening the mouth, intraoral scarring, and the need for additional surgical materials (soft or hard tissue). In cases of implant failure, removal surgery may be required, during which the artificial root may become prematurely exposed.
One study noted that more serious complications, such as damage to the mandibular nerve causing permanent numbness in the lips, teeth, or tongue, occur in 5–15% of cases. Rarer complications include life-threatening tongue-artery bleeding leading to respiratory distress (even vegetative states) or fatal sinus infections from upper-jaw procedures.
**Q3: What Are the Drawbacks of Traditional Dentures?**
Traditional dentures also have downsides, such as potential damage to adjacent natural teeth (which may require root canals). However, these issues are often tied to treatment quality rather than inherent flaws in the method itself.I had a patient who received dental implants in both the upper and lower jaws. A few years later, the upper implant protruded through the nostril, resulting in failure. He went through four or five sets of full dentures, each of which encountered issues one after another, leaving him very dissatisfied. It wasn’t until he got a new set of full dentures that he said he no longer needed denture adhesive. The new dentures stayed secure while eating and speaking, didn’t fall out, allowed him to eat harder foods like peanuts, improved his sense of taste, and gradually helped him gain weight.
Source: http:/ / tw. news. yahoo. com/ % E8……4% 8D% E7% 89% 99- 082721035. html;_ylt=Ase7Pn2rQsJNq1SRWFGAfIi8BdF_;_ylu=X3oDMTRlMTdnZWw0BG1pdANTZW50aW1lbnQgVG9kYXkEcGtnAzI1NGEyZDA1LTVmZDktMzIzZS1iMzEzLThiYzE2ODcxZmFiMwRwb3MDMgRzZWMDbWVkaWFtb3N0c2VudGltZW50LWluZm9ybWF0aXZlBHZlcgM0NmI2MGE4MC03NDJhLTExZTItYjBmYS0xZTE0MzdmMjViOWQ-;_ylg=X3oDMTNiNWFqbXBwBGludGwDdHcEbGFuZwN6aC1oYW50LXR3BHBzdGFpZAM3NDI2ZmU0OC0zNWM0LTNhMTYtODBkMy1jZDhmN2M2MjI5NzYEcHN0Y2F0A.iyoee2k3znkIbosqHlsLHmpa0EcHQDc3RvcnlwYWdl;_ylv=3