What is the Difference Between a Bridge and an Implant?
We all want a perfect-looking smile that is full and healthy. If you’re missing a tooth, you may find that you feel badly about your appearance. You may even notice that it’s harder to chew and eat because of the missing dentition. The more teeth that you lose, the more insecure you’ll feel and the less likely it’ll be that you’ll enjoy your favorite foods. This is why looking for a viable option for replacing that missing tooth is necessary. In general, there are two ways to replace a tooth that is completely missing.
What is a Bridge?
A fixed dental bridge is a restoration that is placed over the two surrounding teeth. The center part of the bridge is known as the pontic, and it has the false tooth that sits on top of the gums to replace what’s missing. Bridges are great for patients who want a quick and surgery-free option for replacing a tooth. Bridges can last for years or even decades before needing complete replacement. The one con that comes with bridge work is that it requires that healthy teeth be compromised to fit the bridge.
What is an Implant?
An implant is a small appliance that is placed into the bone underneath the gums. Over the course of about six months, the implant fuses naturally with the bone and becomes a part of the jaw. Once healed, you’ll come in and have a dental crown made and placed over the implant itself. Implants don’t require that any other teeth be worked on in order to replace what’s missing. They can easily last for three to four decades or longer because of the fact that they’re made out of titanium and become part of the jaw bone. Surgery is required to place the implant and if you don’t have enough healthy bone in the area, a bone grafting is necessary.
What’s the Difference?
A dental bridge requires absolutely no incisions or sutures. There are no follow-up appointments and it doesn’t necessarily matter if you have bone loss in the area where the tooth is missing. Implants require surgery to place, but they work independently. This means that no other tooth in your mouth is filed down or damaged in order to replace the missing dentition. Both options are great for certain patients and only an exam and x-ray can help us to determine which one is best suited to you.
If you are interested in learning more about the differences between bridges and implants, call us now and our friendly staff members can assist you.