To maintain your other teeth in alignment after a tooth loss, it’s crucial to acquire a suitable replacement. Maintaining your face structure and avoiding eating or speaking challenges are possible benefits of getting replacement teeth. Dental bridges and implants are two of the most widely used alternatives. False teeth are attached to dental bridges by the teeth on each side of the missing tooth. To match the colour of your actual teeth, they are typically fashioned from materials like porcelain or plasticTrusted Source. They can replace a single lost tooth or multiple. Artificial tooth roots, known as dental implants, are frequently composed of titanium. They are held in place by a crown or bridge screwed into your jawbone.
A dental bridge is what?
Your Calgary dentist might recommend a dental bridge as a restoration choice if your missing tooth is situated between two good teeth. An artificial tooth is suspended between two crowns that your dentist bonds to the good teeth on either side of the gap. The hue of the porcelain is matched to that of your neighbouring teeth. Simply put, a dental bridge fills the space left by missing teeth. A dental bridge can be the ideal option if you’re replacing a tooth or teeth that are close to the back of your mouth.
How Do Dental Implants Work?
An implant is a fake tooth fastened to a titanium post that your dentist places in your jawbone. Implants have a very realistic appearance. When teeth are lost or removed, the jawbone shrinks over time, changing the way our face looks and how we smile. When a new tooth is used to bite and eat, the implanted tooth stimulates the jawbone, helping to prevent bone loss.
Bridge versus dental implants
Both dental implants and bridges have advantages and disadvantages, but they both have the potential to produce outcomes that look natural. Here is a comparison of the two tooth replacement choices.
What are the pros of dental bridges?
- prone to insurance coverage
- does not require invasive surgery or bone grafting
- typically less expensive upfront than dental implants
- often only requires two visits to the dentist spaced out over a few weeks.
What are the cons of dental bridges?
- often has to be updated every 5 to 7 years (although it can last more than 10 years)
- age-related loss of a natural-looking appearance
- greater tooth deterioration and cavities in neighbouring teeth than with implants
- can harm the teeth that are healthy around a lost tooth.
What are the pros of dental implants?
- The longest-lasting product on the market, it can last 15 years or more.
- Maintain a more natural appearance than bridges
- and spare the healthy teeth surrounding the implant from harm.
- High success rate during the past ten years, over 97 percent
What are the cons of dental implants?
- Less likely to receive insurance coverage, the procedure could take up to six months.
- the larger initial outlay
- may bring about surgical difficulties
How to decide between a bridge and an implant?
Your dentist can advise you on the most suitable tooth replacement for your needs. The ideal option for you will depend on your financial situation, the number of missing teeth, and your general health.
- Several teeth missing – An implant may not be the best solution if you lose multiple teeth in a row; a dental bridge is probably a better choice. Each missing tooth requires a different implant to be surgically affixed to your jawbone; this requires costly and frequently unnecessary surgery.
- Overall health – Dental implants need surgery. Therefore, those with illnesses like diabetes or leukemia that impair healing may not be candidates. The greatest candidates for dental implants Edgemont NW Calgary, AB are in good general health with a strong adequate jawbone free of cavities.
- Time – A dental bridge can be fitted in two visits spread over a few weeks, but the complete process of receiving a dental implant can take months. When you obtain a dental implant, an oral surgeon will drill a hole into your jawbone to link the implant’s root to the bone. While you wait for the bone to mend, they could place a temporary denture in your mouth. After the bone has healed, you will need to wait 2 to 6 months before a crown may be added.
Do you have a budget constraint?
Initially, dental implants need a larger financial commitment than bridges do. The price increases if you need to replace numerous teeth. In the long run, however, dental implants may be more cost-effective than bridges since they normally stay longer. Talk to us about the ideal system for you and the various payment choices if you’re concerned about your budget.
Do you prefer to avoid surgery?
The drawback of dental implants is that they need to be surgically inserted. If you want to avoid surgery and want a rapid and painless tooth replacement, a dental bridge can be your best alternative. A fake tooth with an empty crown on either end is called a dental bridge. Before attaching the dental bridge, we shape and grind down the teeth on each end of the space left by your missing teeth. They are referred to as abutment teeth. The spanning crowns of the dental bridge are made to fit over your abutment teeth and maintain the stability of the bridge. Because the crowns and artificial teeth are completely custom-made and painted to resemble your natural teeth, no one can tell you were missing teeth.
Two methods for replacing a missing tooth are dental implants and bridges. Dental bridges cost less upfront and are more likely to be covered by insurance. Dental implants Calgary, AB may be the superior choice if money is not a concern and you are in good general health because they stay longer and don’t harm the teeth around them. Your best course of action can be determined with the assistance of a dentist. To restore your smile, replace a missing tooth or teeth with lovely, individually created dental bridges or dental implants.