Implant Or Bridge: Which Is Best For You?
If you've lost a single tooth, you may be wondering what to do next. You know you have to fill the space for several reasons such as esthetics, so your other teeth won't begin to shift and become crooked, and so you can continue to chew a variety of healthy foods. There are a few options to consider including an implant, a fixed bridge, or a removal bridge, but which option is best for you?
Implants
A dental implant requires an invasive surgery to place the implant post into your jawbone. The implant post replaces your tooth root and provides the strongest, most natural, and longest lasting tooth replacement. It takes a few months to complete the whole process because the titanium implant post must be completely healed (it fuses to your natural jawbone which can take up to four months) before the crown can be placed.
Bridges
When it comes to dental bridges, there are fixed bridges and removable bridges. Fixed bridges tend to be more stable because they are bonded to adjacent teeth via dental crowns. A fixed bridge is a 3-unit bridge consisting of three crowns joined together. The side crowns are bonded to your adjacent healthy teeth, and the middle crown is the false tooth that replaces your missing natural tooth.
A removable bridge consists of one pontic (false tooth) that is held in place with metal clasps that attach to the adjacent healthy teeth.
Decisions, Decisions
If the teeth adjacent to your lost tooth have large fillings which may require crowns in the future, then a fixed 3-unit bridge may be your best option, because it can save all three teeth at once. Another reason to choose a bridge would be if the gum and bone have receded at the site of the lost tooth because the tooth has been missing for a long time.
Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of all three prosthetics with Dr. Hutto to decide which is right for you.