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FrançaisDental Implants vs Dentures: Which Is Right for You?
Medically reviewed by Dt. Şerife Kalken, dentist and founder · October 2026
Three Options
It Is Not Only Dentures or Implants
When most or all of the teeth in a jaw are missing, the choice is usually presented as “dentures or implants”. In practice there are three options, and the middle one is often the most sensible:
- A conventional full denture, held by suction and the shape of the gums.
- An implant-retained overdenture, a removable denture that clips onto two to four implants.
- A fixed full-arch bridge on implants, such as All-on-4 or All-on-6, which stays in and is only removed by the dentist.
Comparison
How the Three Compare
| Full denture | Overdenture on implants | Fixed bridge (All-on-4/6) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stability | Can move, especially the lower one | Clips in firmly | Fixed, like natural teeth |
| Chewing | Limited with hard or chewy food | Clearly better | Closest to natural teeth |
| Upper palate | Covered | Often reduced | Left open |
| Jaw bone | Continues to shrink over the years | Preserved around the implants | Preserved around the implants |
| Daily cleaning | Taken out and cleaned | Taken out; implants cleaned too | Cleaned in place with brushes and a water flosser |
| Surgery | None | Two to four implants | Four to six implants |
| Time | A few weeks of fittings | Months, while the implants heal | Temporary teeth soon after surgery; final bridge after 4–6 months |
| Price from (our list) | £550 per arch | Quoted after examination | £2,400 both jaws, plus zirconia bridge from £900 per arch |
Starting prices from our price list. A full denture with a metal framework starts from £600 per arch.
Bone Loss
Why Lower Dentures Get Looser Over Time
Jaw bone is kept in shape by the forces that teeth pass into it. Once the teeth are gone, the ridge that held them slowly shrinks, and a denture resting on the gum does not stop that. The lower jaw is usually affected most: the ridge gets lower and narrower, the tongue and cheeks push the denture around, and relines become a regular event.
Implants pass chewing forces into the bone again, which helps preserve it around them. For the lower jaw in particular, the evidence is strong enough that an international consensus statement (McGill, 2002) concluded that an overdenture on two implants should be the first-choice standard of care for people with no lower teeth, rather than a conventional denture.
Which Suits You
Finding the Right Option
A denture may suit you if…
Surgery is not advisable for medical reasons, you want the simplest and least expensive option, or you have a good upper ridge, where a well-made upper denture is often stable on suction alone.
An overdenture may suit you if…
Your lower denture moves when you eat or talk, you want a big improvement for a moderate cost, and you are happy to take the teeth out to clean them.
A fixed bridge may suit you if…
You want teeth that never come out, you gag on a denture palate, and you have enough bone, or are suitable for grafting or zygomatic implants.
These options are not a one-way door. Many people start with a well-made denture and move to implants later; an existing denture can sometimes be converted into an overdenture once implants have healed.
- Feine JS, Carlsson GE, Awad MA, et al. The McGill consensus statement on overdentures. Mandibular two-implant overdentures as first choice standard of care for edentulous patients. Gerodontology. 2002;19(1):3–4.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
- Are implants better than dentures?
For most people with enough bone, implants give a more stable bite and help preserve the jaw bone. Dentures remain a good option when surgery is not advisable or budget is the main concern, and an overdenture on two implants is often a sensible middle ground.
- What is an implant-retained overdenture?
A removable denture that clips onto two to four implants. It stays in place far better than a conventional denture, especially in the lower jaw, but you still take it out to clean it.
- How much do dentures and All-on-4 cost in Antalya?
A full denture starts from £550 per arch, or £600 with a metal framework. All-on-4 starts from £2,400 for both jaws, with the zirconia bridge from £900 per arch on top. An overdenture is quoted after examination.
- Why does my lower denture keep getting loose?
After teeth are lost the jaw ridge slowly shrinks, and the lower jaw usually shrinks most. A denture resting on the gum does not stop this, so it gradually fits less well. Implants help by passing chewing forces back into the bone.
- Can I switch from dentures to implants later?
Yes. Many people do. Depending on how much bone has been lost, implants may be placed directly, after a bone graft, or with zygomatic implants in the upper jaw.
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