When faced with the question of how to best replace a
missing tooth, the first two options discussed are a dental implant or a dental
bridge. Each individual situation is unique, and our goal is to assist in making
the best possible decision for your dental health.
In the majority of cases, when replacing a single tooth
in the front or the back, a dental implant is the standard of care. It is the
closest we can get to restoring the feel and function of a natural tooth.
Unlike a dental bridge, an implant allows you to brush and floss the area the
same way you would a natural tooth. Even though gum disease around the implant
can develop if proper care is not used, cavities can not exist on a dental
implant or crown. Since there is no remaining natural tooth structure, there is
no place for traditional tooth decay to attack.
Another
major advantage of the dental implant is it does not require drilling or
invasive work on the adjacent teeth. The entire procedure is isolated to one
specific tooth. A bridge requires substantial work on at least two other teeth
to work properly. Subsequently, if these adjacent teeth develop a cavity in the
future, the entire bridge may need to be removed to treat the growing tooth
decay.
When
discussing the advantages of a dental bridge, we always talk about the original
time commitment of the procedure. Dental implants can take up to 6-10 months to
fully restore, but sometimes only one month is needed to complete a new bridge.
Because of the time involved and the materials used, a bridge is often less
expensive and can be more appealing to patients from a financial standpoint.
However, depending upon the location of the bridge of the patient’s history, a
bridge may end up costing the patient more in the long run if it needs to
eventually be replaced.
Since
each individual circumstance is different, the safest approach is to consult
your dentist about your situation. Dental implants have become the standard of
care in many cases when replacing missing or lost teeth, but dental bridges
still have a very viable place in the modern dental practice.
For more information on
dental implants or dental bridges, check our website at http://www.brownandkupper.com/questions.php.
Lee T. Brown, DDS
Brown and Kupper, DDS Inc
(513) 860-3660
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