Broken Or Missing Teeth? Bridges vs. Implants

By Samuel Cho, DDS

Braddock Family Dental

. https://www.braddockfamilydental.com

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Broken Or Missing Teeth? Bridges vs. Implants

Broken or missing teeth cause many people to visit their local dental offices looking for solutions.  They discover the causes being from teeth grinding/clenching, accidents, cavities, and many other things. Broken or missing teeth can have huge negative affects.

Not only will broken or missing teeth affect the esthetics of your face but can also cause other issues such as: trouble with chewing, talking, and chronic headaches. Missing teeth can also increase the risk of infection, which could gradually spread to the rest of your body and cause other health issues. These missing teeth can affect your remaining teeth and increase your chances for gum disease. If you are missing too many teeth, the skin around your mouth can start to sag causing you to appear older.

Is there a solution?

Some may wonder if their teeth can even be treated. Some may instinctively assume they will need a root canal. The first step is to get your teeth checked out by a dental professional.  If the size of the lesion is small, required treatment could only be a filling or crown.  If the size of the lesion is very large, extraction of the tooth may be required.

  If the tooth itself cannot be saved or the tooth is already lost, the next question is: “Do I need a Bridge or Implant?”  The answer is… “It depends.”  One key consideration is if the adjacent teeth are periodontally (gum) healthy and can serve as solid anchors, then it is a good case for a bridge.

On the other hand, if the adjacent teeth are not periodontally healthy and cannot serve as sold anchors, then it may not be a good case for a bridge.  In the latter case, an implant is advised over a bridge.

Bridge vs. Implants

A bridge is made up of at least two crowns that are on either side of a gap or missing tooth. A false tooth is typically placed in between these crowns that literally bridge the gap. Implants can conjunctively be used with bridges. Implants can be thought of as artificial tooth roots that involve a custom made crown to placed into your jawbone using a screw-shaped connector.

Many people ask about pros and cons for these two types of treatments.  One pro for a bridge is that it takes a shorter amount of time than an implant.  One pro for an implant is that the adjacent teeth do not have to be trimmed down.  An implant can be done with an immediate or delayed approach. An immediate approach means the tooth can be extracted and an implant is placed on the same day, so the treatment and procedure time can be shortened significantly.

When it comes to a delayed approach, the tooth is extracted and is required to heal for a few months and an implant is placed later.

Should I do a bridge?  Should I do an implant?  It depends.  The first and most important step is to schedule an examination with a dentist or implant expert. The decision should be made after all the considerations, with an implant expert and a patient together.