Dental Implants Compared to Bridges

3-Unit Bridge

The Traditional Option:

Historically, a bridge was used to replace a single missing tooth. Bridges are constructed of metal sub-frames with tooth-colored porcelain applied to approximate the natural color of your existing teeth.

Bridges use the teeth on either side of your missing tooth to provide support for the artificial tooth that fills in the space where your natural tooth is missing.

The goal of the bridge is to restore chewing function and achieve an acceptable esthetic outcome.

Unfortunately, bone under the replacement tooth is no longer stimulated by chewing and is often resorbed into the body, creating a slowly growing gap between the replacement tooth and the gums.

Key Attributes:

• Slightly less expensive
• Restores chewing function
• Acceptable esthetics

Considerations:

• Requires grinding down of healthy adjacent teeth
• Potential for increased risk to the prepared teeth
• Bone resorption causes a gap between your tooth and your gum over time
• Limited life span
• May contain metal; possible allergic reaction

 

Single Tooth Implant:

The State-of-the-Art-Solution

Dental Implants often provide a more advanced replacement technology for a missing tooth than a traditional bridge. Dental implants eliminate the need for grinding down healthy teeth.

Dental Implants are small metal screws designed specifically to replace your natural tooth root. Manufactured from titanium, dental implants provide a highly biocompatible surface, encouraging bone to attach to the implant during the healing process to ensure long-term results.

Restoring your tooth will all-ceramic components (crown and abutment) can result in a beautiful, natural looking, translucent tooth, just like the rest of your teeth.

Key Attributes:

• Preserves your healthy teeth-no grinding required on adjacent teeth.
• Bone integrity is preserved for long-lasting esthetics.
• Long-term solution- often for life.

Considerations:

• Slightly higher cost than bridge.

 

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