Bridge Vs. Dental Implants
ByThere are many factors that need to be considered before deciding whether to use a bridge or dental implants. Some of these factors are given below for you to determine which one will be appropriate for you.
1.Jaw bone preservation
Dental implants allow you to preserve your jawbone. This is because the dental implant treatment is done in an area where there are no teeth. Hence, the bone area will be stimulated and the problem of bone loss in the area will not happen. In a bridge, the procedure connects two teeth and there is no pressure on the jaw bone. This can cause the shrinking of the bone because of the absence of stimulation.
2.Better oral health
With dental implants, the health of your teeth will not be affected. The healthy ones will remain and they will not be affected by the process. On the other hand, using a bridge requires connection with the other teeth and may require you to sacrifice the health of the adjacent teeth to provide the needed bridge support.
3. Easy Oral hygiene
Because of the easy access to the teeth done with dental implants, the usual dental care can be easily done. Bridge requires regular flossing and this can take much of your time. With dental implants, the effort of everyday oral care is just the same as without the implants.
4. Durability
As the dental implants rely on the connection of the teeth to the jaw bone, it makes them last for up to ten years. Bridge, on the other hand, relies on the strength of the teeth that the bridge is connected to. Bridge will totally rely on the natural teeth that can also be subject to decay and diseases while the implants are made of titanium and are not prone to diseases.
5. Aesthetics
The results of dental implants vs. bridge are better because of the technology that is used. They look more natural and exactly like your natural teeth.
6. Price
If you are considering the cost, you can choose bridge vs. dental implants. However in the long run, the advantages of using dental implants outweigh the cost. The durability is proportional to the cost.
Taking all of the above into consideration, you now have enough basis for deciding whether you will prefer a bridge or dental implants.
Question and Answer
How do you apply to dental schools?
I am an upcoming sophomore, but I would like to know how to apply to dental schools beforehand. I heard that in order to apply to dental schools, we have to take the DAT (Dental Admissions Test). I would like to know more about applying to dental schools. This can also help other people who are planning to go to dental schools in the near future. Thank you.
Seddon Dental –
About the Author:
Get Your Teeth Back with Dental Implants and Your cardiff dentist in Cardiff Implant Centre – Cosmetic Dentistry Wales. Get new teeth and smile again with a dental implants cardiff
18 Comments
April 19th, 2010 at 11:00 pm
I have implants so yes I believe implants are a better choice. I love my implants. You brush and floss them the same as natural teeth and they are just as secure. I hate the idea of ruining perfectly good teeth just to attach a bridge that might get decay under it and then you lose the shaved down teeth.
To the poster above. How can an implant fall out? Implants are imbedded into the jaw bone and the bone bonds so tightly to the implant that it becomes part of the bone itself. Depending on the type of crown you get it could fall out if you get one that is cemented in and something goes wrong with the cement but you can't lose the implant itself once the osseointegration has taken place (bonded to the bone). That is just goofy! Also it isn't painful if the tooth itself is already missing. Just a bit sore. If you get an immediate load implant you get the implant and tooth in the same day.
April 19th, 2010 at 11:18 pm
April 19th, 2010 at 11:16 pm
the simz!
April 20th, 2010 at 12:15 am
they should of showed us this in dental assistant school!
April 20th, 2010 at 10:33 am
Implants are the best tooth replacement option in dentistry. Everything that you say sounds accurate. It takes time and $ but is well worth it. I personally have not had implants in my mouth. I am a dentist and I can tell you that all the patients that I have placed implants in feel they made the right choice. So go for it and don't worry too much. Also make sure you follow all the post operative instructions so that you don't develop any complications. Good Luck.
April 20th, 2010 at 7:11 pm
In order for you to have a bridge, you might have to shave down the other teeth in order to get the "bridge" done right. This is the worst aspect of the bridge. It weakens your other teeth while trying to keep your tooth in question.
You do not want to make the rest of your teeth, adjacent to the one you are trying to fix worse off.
In this sense the Implant is better. The implant only deals with the tooth in question and does not require work on adjacent teeth.
There are cons with implants too, which are detailed in the link I will provide below.
If you have a good dentist, the implant is the way to go. If your insurance does not cover it, then you might reconsider.. but think long term. If you weaken your other teeth, then the costs will be very high in the future for short fix today. If your dentist is not adept at implants, find one that is, so that it will work out well.
April 21st, 2010 at 10:24 am
Ask your dentist about a Maryland Bridge. Only the backs of the teeth are prepared to accept the bridge. The bridge is held in place with two metal wings. The wings are not visible from the front.
April 21st, 2010 at 2:18 pm
Ooh, that totally sucks for you and actually makes me kinda mad that they'd cut down two (presumably) healthy teeth to do a bridge like that! grr.
I just re-did a case on a guy who, 15 years ago, lost upper central incisors playing footbal; was told if he did implants he couldn't play anymore which is B.S., but whatever. So they cut down the other two incisors AND both upper canines (eye teeth) to hold this bridge on. SOME margin of the four abutments is bound to fail and he had two leaking, so i have to replace the whole thing. $6000. I mean, the money is nice, i'm not gonna lie, but in principle it psses me off….
ok, on to your case. first of all, if you haven't already, get away from the guy/gal who did the bridge w/o discussing the implant.
now you want to make really sure that you hate this bridge because you can do three thigns to replace it:
1 – cut the middle ("bridged") tooth out (this is called the "pontic" which you cna search for if you need a picture…). leave the abutments (the crowned teeth on either side of the missing tooth) alone and place a single implant w/a single crown in the space. you'd still have to worry a bit about decay/recession on the natural teeth and my impression is you're not inclined this way, but you WOULD be able to floss normally (ie, no threaders w/ fishline etc!)
2 – remove the bridge w/ both supporting teeth. place two implants and bridge them together w/ another bridge. this is the same as what you have now, but with implants instead of teeth holding it in. advantage – no root fillings to worry about; disadvantage – will still FEEL like a bridge, in the sense that you can maybe detect air (or catch food) under the pontic tooth.
3 – remove the bridge, both supporting teeth, place THREE implants and each one gets a crown. This treatment will look and feel MOST like your natural teeth. you can floss normally, you won't have a pontic, etc. disadvantage….one more implant probably tacks $2000 or so onto the total of your dental fee.
My suggestion, to be honest, is to not worry about either procedure until you're done w/ medical school and you have some kind of stable income! I mean, you're saying, "I can't afford both at once…" I have fairly well-off patients who would have a tough time affording one at a time over five years! But maybe you have other income, financial resources etc.
if you want to send me another email w/ your email, feel free and we can exchange info "normally."….. hope I'm helping!
April 21st, 2010 at 10:57 am
We can rebuild him.
We can make him stronger. Faster than before.
April 21st, 2010 at 7:42 pm
Find another dentist. A prothodontist is who you need to see. Implants are better and safer than a Marilyn bridge. I have dental implants and feel if it were me I would certainly get a second opinion.
April 21st, 2010 at 2:04 pm
Lmao @ eboko
April 21st, 2010 at 6:10 pm
Hola Mi amor todavia me Quieres?
April 22nd, 2010 at 7:50 am
is that consider one inplent ??? this vid was for me that was my mouth ……how much is the problem for me ! great motavation tho !!!!!!!!!
April 22nd, 2010 at 1:31 pm
what happened to step 7? …and how did step 8 start? just asking!!
April 22nd, 2010 at 8:51 pm
Once a tooth is gone the bone begins to deteriorate. If you get an implant right away then the bone will stay strong and healthy. The implant crown will be just like the tooth you lost with no damage to the surrounding teeth.
With a bridge the bone where the tooth was will continue to deteriorate due to the missing tooth. The adjacent teeth on each side of the missing tooth will have to be shaved down for the bridge to be attached which can compromise those teeth down the road. You can get decay under the bridge too.
Personally I love my implants and have never been sorry. I got my implants right away when my teeth were pulled so the bone didn't have time to deteriorate. They are strong and healthy.
Yes the implant is more expensive and that is a fact. But for long term it may end up being less expensive as down the road you may end up with problems with the surrounding teeth and the bone where the tooth was no longer strong enough to hold an implant therefore you would have to have bone grafting to get an implant.
April 23rd, 2010 at 7:00 am
If you are only missing one tooth in your mouth – and an invisible one at that, I can't imagine any reason other than the dentist's bank balance why he would suggest either an implant or a bridge.
Billions of people go through life missing more than one tooth. Live with it.
April 23rd, 2010 at 6:48 am
yes i would ): or just be a cute old lady wiff no teeth
April 23rd, 2010 at 6:57 am
no you wouldn’t