By Frank Clemmons
Costa Rica Dental Implant Institute
Paid Partnership


For people who have suffered a great deal of tooth loss, there are typically two options that are recommended: Dentures or Implant-supported Dentures.

As is typical of many standard dental treatments, each solution and its associated procedures, materials and costs offer advantages and disadvantages. Let’s look at them in more detail.

1. Dentures. This dental solution has been around for quite some time. Even George Washington had dentures. They consist of arc bridges that serve as support for the false teeth attached to them. In turn, these arc bridges are placed upon and supported by the gums, sometimes assisted with a paste or powder, although they are not attached to the gums and are meant to be removed and cleaned at night.

Their advantages are that they are relatively easy to use and clean and that the procedure is not invasive. They also require fewer tests and less preparation. Finally, they are much less expensive than their implant-supported counterparts.

Their disadvantages are that they’re much less stable than implant-supported dentures. So, from time to time they may shift out of place, which can be embarrassing if you happen to be at a social event for example. They also sometimes get small bits of food stuck underneath them. That can be painful and require the person to leave the table and to remove the food by hand in the nearest bathroom.

In addition to that, the bite with dentures isn’t as strong, so there might be a “squeezing” feeling while chewing. They are also less resistant and generally don’t perform as well as their counterpart.

Perhaps the greatest disadvantage is that without teeth, your jaw bones and gums will continually recede, becoming smaller over time. This is what causes the “sunken face” look that may people associate with denture wearers. While dentures as inexpensive, they are not recommended for people that want to appear youthful.



2. Implant-supported Dentures. This procedure also involves full-arch bridges. May people know this procedure as an All on 4, All on 6 or All on 8 dental implants. Unlike dentures, these bridges are supported and attached to dental implants, which in turn are placed in the jawbone and fused to it through a process called osseointegration. This makes implant supported dentures fixed and it’s not necessary to remove them for cleaning.

Their advantages over dentures are many. First of all, because they are actually attached to the bone, they are stable and their bite is as strong as the bite of a person with teeth. They implant-supported dentures never move out of place, reducing to zero the number of embarrassing or painful chewing instances. They are more resistant and perform better in every test than dentures.

Their disadvantage is that they require minor surgery, which implies more tests and a minor, but still invasive treatment. And, implant-supported dentures cost more than traditional dentures.

However, by traveling to Costa Rica for dental care, many people find that they can afford dental implants, including an All on 4, All on 6 and All on 8 dental implants. Given how important your teeth are for your health and over-all well-being, they are an investment that will pay dividends every time you eat for the rest of your life.

Costa Rica Dental Institute helps patients from the USA and Canada find the leading dental implant clinics in Costa Rica. The service is free and has helped thousands of patients find reputable, safe and affordable dental implants in Costa Rica. Please visit our website at CostaRicaDentalImplants.com to learn more and to fill out a form for a free referral to one of the top dental implant clinics in Costa Rica.

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