Losing teeth can affect the look of your smile while creating functionality issues. It also can put a severe dent in your self-confidence. Two of the most used solutions that dental professionals use to address these problems are dental implants and dental bridges.
A dental implant is a false tooth root (typically made from titanium) that is anchored in place of a lost tooth. Unlike implants, bridges do not substitute tooth root. Instead, a bridge uses one or more neighboring teeth as a support on a crown that can fill up the missing tooth space.
Teeth replacements are present from the last 30 years. Missing or extracted teeth stimulate common concerns of infection, but the proper restoration is the key solution.
While both approaches address the same challenges, they present, at a technical level, very various options for you to decide. If you are looking for the right-most solution for a missing tooth, it's essential to understand the different treatment options that are available for you. It's also necessary to gain an understanding of what each requires before deciding if it's right for your specific needs. Here's what you need to learn about dental implants and dental bridges and finding what's best for you.
Pros and Cons of Dental Implants
One of the most significant merits of dental implants is they place less of a burden on the neighboring teeth and regulate the healing of bone structures and gums under the teeth. They also tend to decrease long-term risks posed to the jaw. Generally, a good quality dental implant usually lasts for a lifetime.
Dental implants may seem to be an expensive treatment, especially in cases where multiple numbers of individual teeth need to be restored in various spots or in case of full mouth restoration. However, dental implants are a profitable investment since they are usually a permanent solution to missing teeth, providing a beautiful smile.
Pros and Cons of Dental Bridges
The significant advantage of dental bridges is that they are regarded to be one of the most cost-effective methods for restoring missing teeth. Another merit of bridges is they don't need bone grafting if bone loss is present. Bridges also offer a quick process for replacing missing teeth.
One of the most significant disadvantages of dental bridges is that they place enormous strain on surrounding structures, specifically the two teeth which are fixed to the device. For this reason, a bridge is rarely expected to last a lifetime. Bridges also don't address concerns about underlying structural issues. This means that long-term problems coming from bone loss are due to the removal of teeth, which will continue to advance even after space is addressed.
Cantilevered bridges are mostly notorious for stimulating problems. They place a significant amount of stress on the single tooth to which they're attached. Maryland bridges also often come with questions, due to their minimal amount of attachment and limited capacity to absorb force. Also, if a Maryland bridge is not correctly maintained, it may lead to the loss of additional teeth.
Practical Reasons for Both the Procedures
A dental bridge involves more than just a missing tooth. The adjacent teeth require to be "prepped" by replacing most of the enamel to design the bridge. With dental implants, however, the dentist restores just the individual tooth for an outcome that is more strong and also permanent. Nonetheless, a dental bridge may be the best option if the neighboring teeth have big dental fillings and need crowns or caps. And if a tooth or multiple teeth have been lost for a long time, both the gum and bone will have marked, and procedures beyond the dental implant are needed before placement. The advantages and disadvantages of both systems can ultimately be discussed with your dentist.
- Changes in Your Oral Care Routine - The ability to keep your mouth healthy will be more natural with a dental implant. Dental bridges are constructed or "fixed" in the mouth, and involve at least three crowns connected to repair the gap of the missing tooth or teeth. This design creates challenges during brushing and flossing. Hence extra oral hygiene and home care are needed. When flossing, an additional step is required to thread the floss under the false tooth. More including toothbrushes such as Colgate® 360°® Total® Advanced Floss Tip Bristles may help under the circumstances. In contrast, implants can replace teeth individually sans affecting other teeth, making regular home care more fruitful. You can also effectively brush and floss around an implant, just like your natural tooth.
- Durability - Dental implants are more durable than bridges, allowing them to provide protection that lasts a lifetime. The implant's metal cylinder is mostly made of titanium, according to the American Academy of Implant Dentistry (AAID). This material fuses with your jawbone automatically through a process known as osseointegration. Because it's made of such a solid metal, they are very resistant to decay and gum issues. An average lifespan of a dental bridge is around ten years.
- Aesthetics - There isn't always an easy answer, but your dentist or prosthodontist – the latter is specialized in crown, implants, and bridges – will be able to recommend you. Often the dental implant will give the most appealing result, as your dentist may make the final glance of the tooth just like your natural dental enamel. Sometimes, an implant can be placed only after a tooth extraction, preserving the natural level of bone, and raise the final look of the dental work.
Dental Bridge vs. Implant Cost
At first, the cost of the dental bridge is less, but it may require to be replaced at some point in time later. Implants – from the first stage of preparation to final placement – may look more costly. Still, over time, it can be cost-effective. Fortunately, many dental insurances cover a portion of or all of the steps involved.
Hence, before deciding any of these two procedures, you should consult your dentist, because he or she knows your mouth better and has the knowledge to recommend you through what is best for it. Although bridges are an older procedure, a dental implant has become more commonplace over the years, and in most cases, are the preferred treatment both in time and expense.
Implants Pro Center©, San Francisco, offers a consultation at your convenience. You can learn more about dental implants and Implant Pro Center's treatment approaches. Find out today how dental implants can change your life. At Implants Pro Center©, San Francisco, we take all primary dental and medical PPO insurances, along with Medicare, thereby decreasing your anxiety about the expense of dental implant treatment or any oral surgeries. A tremendously experienced and caring team will give life-long care, maintenance, and assistance. Implants Pro Center©, San Francisco, is also decked with all the modern technologies like CT-Scan, Intravenous Sedation, Platelet Rich Fibrin, etc. to present nothing less than the best of services. You will be entirely at ease for any of your surgeries.