Diabetes is a complex, multifaceted condition that can affect many different parts of your body, and the oral health of people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes can be particularly vulnerable. As well as heightening your risk of developing gum disease, diabetes can also reduce your body's ability to produce saliva, and can leave you more vulnerable to oral infections (especially fungal infections such as thrush).

Understandably, many people who live with diabetes have one or more missing teeth. Missing teeth can make eating and speaking clearly more difficult, and can also put a serious dent in your self-confidence, especially if the gaps in your smile are clearly visible. Having partial dentures fitted by your dentist is one way to replace the teeth you have lost as a result of diabetes complications, and while dental implants may be more fashionable at the moment, partial dentures can be particularly suitable if you live with diabetes.

What are the advantages of choosing partial dentures over dental implants if you have diabetes?

No risk of rejection

Having diabetes does not rule out the possibility of having dental implants, and many diabetic people have had badly damaged smiles restored with implants. However, having dental implants fitted is an invasive surgical procedure, and like all surgeries, the risk of complications is higher if you have diabetes.

Both types of diabetes weaken the immune system and slow the body's ability to heal from damage. Consequently, dental implants are more likely to be rejected by your body if you have diabetes, especially if your blood sugar levels are not properly controlled. Implant rejection can be painful and may cause other complications, so choosing partial dentures instead may be the better option if you don't want to take the risk or your dentist advises you against implants.

Much more affordable

Diabetes treatment is not cheap, and many people who live with the condition have their budgets stretched by the need to constantly buy life-saving insulin. Partial dentures are considerably less expensive than dental implants and are much cheaper to repair or replace if they become damaged, making them an excellent choice if you don't have a lot of money to spend on cosmetic dental procedures.

Suitable for receded gums

Gum disease is a particularly common complication of diabetes, and the inflammation it causes can damage your gums and cause them to recede. If your gums are too badly receded, they may not be able to properly support a dental implant, unless you choose to undergo a gum graft to restore the receded gum tissue (another invasive surgical procedure). 

Partial dentures are an excellent choice if diabetes has caused you to lose both a tooth and the gum tissue that once supported it. They can be used safely in parts of your mouth that have experienced a serious loss of gum tissue, and are also more effective at hiding receded, uneven sections of your gums.

For more information, contact a dental health service near you.