Missing teeth can deal a serious blow to anyone’s confidence, but smiles can be restored with dental implants, bridges and other dental procedures. If you’re currently using a bridge to replace lost teeth, you’re likely familiar with ill-fitting appliances which make it slightly more difficult to chew, or a less aesthetically pleasing smile than you’d like. What you may not know, though, is that there can be significant advantages of dental implants for individuals who are good candidates for the procedure.
What Are the Advantages of Dental Implants?
Bridges can be great options for many patients, but they’re not ideal for everyone. Dental implants require far less maintenance, as properly placed implants can last for the rest of your life. Bridges and crowns, however, usually need to be replaced every ten years or so. They can also slip, unlike implants, occasionally making it difficult to eat comfortably.
Dental bridges are reliant upon existing nearby teeth for support. This can put some strain on these teeth, potentially causing trouble down the road. Because it’s very difficult for many people to floss thoroughly due to the dental bridge, it’s not uncommon to eventually lose the support teeth. This means a new bridge to disguise further tooth loss.
If you’ve been using a bridge for a long time, you may already have suffered some bone loss surrounding the missing teeth. In some cases, this bone loss may be significant enough that implants are not suitable. Fortunately, this is a situation which can be corrected with the appropriate dental procedures. While the process for patients suffering from bone loss may take a bit longer to complete, these patients usually have outcomes as good as those of patients who did not have bone loss in the jaw.
Are Implants Worth the Hassle?
One perceived advantage of a dental bridge over implants is the ease with which the process can be completed. Non-invasive and requiring no surgery, bridges can often be completed in two to three visits and are relatively less expensive.
Dental implants, on the other hand, have a reputation for being costlier, more time-consuming and more invasive. While they do require oral surgery and sometimes several procedures, implants may not be as expensive as they seem at first blush. Since high-quality implants should last a lifetime, you’ll only have to pay for them once. Bridges break, can damage other teeth and only have a lifespan of ten to fifteen years. Replacing bridges can quickly become expensive, particularly if they’re damaging other teeth.
Replacing bridges with dental implants also gives you round-the-clock confidence in your smile. Because they look and feel like real teeth, you never have to feel self-conscious about your smile.
Every patient has unique needs and will require an individual approach to maintaining a healthy, beautiful smile. The Smile Artisans understand this and seek to provide all our patients with the most ideal solutions possible. Call us today to make an appointment, and we’ll work together to ensure your smile stays strong, healthy and attractive.