Are you having difficulty picking between dental bridges and dental implants? The two are excellent choices for tooth replacement. We provide both teeth bridges and dental implants of the highest quality. Whatever your concerns are – regarding the treatment, the price, or how they differ from each other – we have the answers and will assist you in making the most suitable decision for the restoration of your smile.
Dental Bridges
What are Dental Bridges?
Bridges are fixed dental prosthetics used to substitute several lost teeth. In contrast to dentures, tooth bridges are secured and anchored on each side of the missing tooth by either original teeth or tooth implants.
How are Bridges Prepared?
Bridges are presented in different processes namely the examination, creation, and installation of the bridge.
- Clinical Evaluation – One of our specialists will thoroughly examine your teeth and review any radiographs, computer imaging and dental records first. This allows the dentist to evaluate what needs to be done as well as make sure that this procedure is the best option.
- Teeth Preparation – The teeth which will support the bridge are prepared next. This is done by removing a small amount of the natural tooth structure which creates the space for the bridge to be attached over the tooth. The dentist will anesthetize your mouth, just in case there is a chance of exposing the tooth.
- Impression Making – Once the teeth are prepared in this way, an impression will be made and sent to the lab for fabricating the bridge.
- Attaching the Bridge – Once the bridge is made it will then be sent to our office. The dentist will make sure the bridge fits well and looks great in your mouth first, then it will be affixed to the prepared teeth with cement made for dental work.
Pros of Teeth Bridges
In the following situations, we suggest tooth bridges to our patients:
- Aesthetics –Missing teeth replaced with a dental bridge are more aesthetically pleasing than those replaced with removable dentures.
- More Durable than Removable Dentures –Because bridges are made with high quality, stronger materials than are used with removable dentures, bridges tend to last longer.
- Restoration of Dental Function – Whereas dentures need additional care when eating specific foods, dental bridges are permanently attached to your teeth and function similarly to natural teeth. You will be able to enjoy the foods you love and not be concerned about the stability of the replacement teeth.
- Restoration of Normal Occlusion –After losing a tooth that is not immediately replaced, the teeth on either side will move into the open space. By using a dental bridge to replace the lost tooth, balanced occlusion is restored. This keeps the teeth next to the lost tooth from migrating into the open space.
Cons of Teeth Bridges
- Sacrifice of Natural Tooth Structure – While preparing the natural teeth that the bridge is going to be attached to, it may be necessary to alter or sacrifice them in order to attach the bridge.
- Limited Clinical Service Life – Even with diligent care to ensure the best oral health, the average life of dental bridges is about five to seven years. New bridges will then need to be prepared and placed.
Dental Implants
What are Dental Implants?
A dental implant is surgically inserted into the jawbone to serve as the root of a replacement tooth. The transplanted root looks like a titanium screw and will enable the placement of a prosthetic such as a dental crown, tooth bridge, or dentures. Tooth implants can be used to replace a single lost tooth or a full-mouth restoration in edentulous which is also called toothless jaws.
How Dental Implants Work?
Teeth implants are often constructed of titanium or comparable metals due to their unique qualities that stimulate bone development around the prosthesis. This enables the implant to completely integrate with the jaw bone, a process known as osseointegration. This results in a powerful and long-lasting implant, both permanent and detachable.
How are Dental Implants Placed?
Dental implants are placed in 2 to 3 stages. Alternatively, in some instances, it can be completed in one appointment. Our dentist will first review your dental records and any imaging of your mouth, followed by a comprehensive exam. After that, the tissue surrounding the bone in which the implant will be put will be sedated. After incising the soft tissue, a flap will be raised to allow for drilling a hole into the jaw bone and carefully inserting the implant.
How is the Implant Loaded?
Patients booked for implant loading at a later point will have a healing screw placed over the implant and the flap stitched back. When patients have a same-day implant, the prosthetic of their choice (permanent dentures, a dental crown, or a tooth bridge) is immediately affixed to the implant. Otherwise, the patient’s prosthetic will not be installed until he or she has fully healed.
The Pros of Dental Implants
Dental implants have grown in popularity as a tooth replacement alternative. Listed below are just a few of the numerous benefits of dental implants in replacing a missing tooth:
- Improved Smile – Visually pleasing bridges, crowns, or dentures are attached over the implants which will dramatically change your smile and even your oral health as a whole. In contrast with teeth bridges, prostheses supported by implants give you better facial contouring and features.
- Durability – Because dental implants are made from titanium alloys, they are extremely strong. This strength also makes the prostheses placed on them longer lasting as well. Maintaining good oral hygiene can allow your dental implants to last for a lifetime.
- Convenience – Because dental implants feel and function like natural teeth, you’ll be able to eat and talk without any adjusting or inconveniences.
- Easy to Maintain Oral Hygiene – Where extra attention must be given to oral hygiene when you have bridges, dental implants do not require any special care. It can be challenging to keep the area under the bridge structure clean because it is difficult to reach. On the other hand, you simply need to brush implant supported teeth as you would your natural ones.
- Safety – As mentioned before, implants are made using titanium alloys, which are not only durable but also biocompatible and will not cause any allergic reactions or toxicity in your body.
What are the Cons of Dental Implants?
- Success is Dependent upon Surgical Technique – A successful dental implant depends on the expertise of your dentist. Even a small mistake during the surgical portion of the treatment could cause peri-implantitis, which could lead to further problems. The good news is that this is not a concern for the implants we offer. We have an excellent implant success ratio because we have a team of talented dentists and specialists with exceptional surgical skills who will place your implants.
- High Cost – If you compare the cost of dental implants and removable dentures or bridges, the difference is substantial but if you compare the benefits, the convenience, not to mention the other advantages, makes this offering an excellent value.
Which Option Should You Choose?
Are you unsure which option is best for you? Our team of skilled and educated dentists in Orange County recommends that you have the best permanent teeth replacement possible. It boils down to whatever meets your esthetic, functionality, and durability requirements. Replace those missing teeth immediately. Schedule an appointment now at our dental clinic in Newport Beach, CA, and discover how you may reclaim your wonderful smile with new implant-supported teeth.
