A dental bridge involves either one or two artificial teeth meant to replace missing teeth. The way those artificial teeth are secured determines the type of bridge. An implant-supported bridge snaps down onto metal dental implant roots for stability. Implant-supported bridges have some distinct pros and cons that can help you and your cosmetic dentistry specialist decide if this is the right treatment for you.
Here are a few pros and cons of an implant-supported bridge that can help you decide if this is your best dental replacement option.
Pro: Stable, Comfortable Fit
Your dentist implants the roots into your jawbone and, after a period of healing, the bone will fuse around the threads of the roots to firmly hold the metal in place. The artificial teeth of the bridge are then attached to the tops of the implant roots. This setup provides lots of stability that allows you to have a relatively natural-feeling chewing experience.
The stability also minimizes the risks of the teeth shifting, which can cause discomfort and damage to both the artificial teeth and the neighboring natural teeth.
Pro: Doesn't Require Healthy Neighboring Teeth
A traditional bridge has the artificial tooth or teeth hanging between two dental crowns, which the dentist will affix to the neighboring healthy teeth as an anchor. The artificial teeth would, therefore, hang over the gums rather than having any underneath anchoring.
Those neighboring teeth can provide a decent amount of stability, especially if you only plan to have the bridge short-term until another replacement is ready, but only if those natural teeth are healthy and in good condition. You don't want to anchor artificial teeth to an unhealthy or broken tooth, or you risk having the entire bridge fail. Implant-supported bridges don't have this risk.
Cons: Lengthy Treatment Process, Requires Healthy Jawbone
The dental implant process takes some months as your dentist waits for the bone to heal around the root. The dentist can't attach the artificial teeth for the bridge until that healing is complete. If the dentist installs the bridge too early, the bone could fail to heal around the root correctly, and your bridge could fail.
If you don't want to have space in your mouth as you wait, your dentist can either install a traditional bridge or give you a little partial denture that hooks around the neighboring teeth for stability but is more easily removable. Ask for a consultation for more details. Contact a company like Byron C Scott, DMD - Springhill Dental Health Center to learn more.
Share