Dental Implants Or Dental Bridge: A Quick Comparison

Are you looking a replacement for your missing tooth or teeth? If yes, there are two best options you can trust blindly, one is dental implants and another is dental bridges. However, the question is which one of the two goes best with your needs. If you are confused between the two, let us help you by illustrating a quick comparison of the two.

So, let’s start with dental implants.

Dental Implants
Dental implants are used to replace missing teeth. The process involves inserting a manmade root inside the bone. A small titanium tooth root is anchored or fixed in place of a missing tooth. For protective covering, a screw is placed on the implant and it fuses with the jaw bone. This process is termed as osseointegration. The process ends up taking up to 6 months to attain stability. In the latter stages, this protective cover is replaced by a temporary crown. Over a couple of months, new bone grows around the implanted metal. Once the new structure is analyzed by your dentist, a crown is screwed on top of the implant and sealed.

How is a dental implant useful?

1. Dental implants have a lifespan of approximately 8 years which means they are longer lasting as compared to dental bridges.
2. The bone structure is entirely preserved using dental implants. They also prevent bone deterioration.
3. With dental implants, the need to grind down surrounding teeth gets eliminated.
4. With implants, the possibility of teeth damage is also reduced.
5. Implants also enhance your overall personality by allowing you to feel more confident while talking, eating or improving facial contours.
6. The costing is comparatively equal or sometimes lower to dentures.

Owing to its longtime duration, dental implant treatment is limited to a small number of people. However, there are some practices that use immediately using implants. It all depends on the requirement of patients.

Dental Bridges
Dental bridges do not involve replacing a tooth root. It is more invasive than a dental implant, however, it uses one or more surrounding teeth as a support to attach a crown that fills missing tooth space. The treatment process is not as long as the dental implant procedure but is more invasive because it requires alteration of adjacent teeth to support the bridge. Dental bridges the gap between teeth that results from a missing tooth.

Advantage:
Dental bridges are considered to be one of the economical treatment methods for a replacing or missing tooth. Secondly, they offer a quick healing time and does not require bone grafting as compared to dental implants.

Dental bridges are generally not preferred because they add greater strain on surrounding teeth. After a certain time period, bridges might result in discomfort. There is an increased risk of cracks forming in the underlying tooth. The surrounding teeth are also prone to decay, plaque and other periodontal diseases.

So, in the long run, dental implants are definitely going to be the best possible treatment for missing teeth. Owing to its economical and other valuable aspects, dental implants are gaining a wide popularity among a high percentage of users.

Besides, you can also consult our dentist at the office who will be glad to assist you in selecting the right treatment for your perfect tooth. Our dentists will offer the best recommendation based on your needs. So, what are you waiting for? Schedule an appointment today to get back that healthy and confident smile.

Book Appointment to find out which treatment might be best for you.