Losing a tooth due to trauma, deep cavities, or periodontal disease leads into the conversation of what the options are to replace the tooth once it’s gone. The options involve removable appliances or something that is fixed in the mouth. If you are considering a fixed solution, it will come down to two options: bridge vs. an implant.
Dental Implants
An implant is a threaded titanium post that is placed into the jaw where the bone will integrate around it. Once the implant is healed an abutment and crown can be attached to the dental implant. This implant crown will look and function like the rest of the teeth in your mouth. The biggest positive in choosing an implant versus a bridge is that we do not have to drill on the adjacent tooth to accomplish our goal of tooth replacement. However, in most cases, the implant process will cost slightly more than a bridge, and will take longer to complete versus doing a dental bridge.
Dental Bridges
Before dental implants, dental bridges had been the go-to procedure for tooth replacement and can provide excellent results. The procedure involves shaping down the teeth on either side of the missing tooth. This then allows a dental crown to go on the two shaped teeth with a third dental crown anchored in the middle. It essentially is three crowns connected together that fill the space of the missing tooth. A dental bridge over an implant makes sense when there isn’t adequate bone for an implant to be placed, health concerns with placing an implant, or if the adjacent teeth already require major work.
Discover Restorative Dentistry in Springfield, IL
Each patient and scenario is unique when deciding your options on tooth replacement. If you are missing a tooth and/or teeth, or know you will be losing a tooth soon, contacting a dentist to discuss options is the best place to start. If you are seeking a dental office who has experience in both dental bridges and dental implants, contact Ruggless Dental today - your Springfield IL dental office.