SHOULD YOU GET A DENTAL BRIDGE OR DENTAL IMPLANT?

You do not need to live with that empty spot in your smile. Call us today at 205-545-8007 and schedule an appointment for restorative dentistry. Our dentists have advanced training in replacing lost teeth, so you can get a complete smile safely and quickly.

You Need To Replace A Missing Tooth

You might not be too concerned about missing a tooth. After all, you’ve got plenty, right? While that’s technically true, missing a tooth can lead to a number of problems.

• It’s harder to speak to others (especially groups) confidently.
• Food is harder to chew.
• Your speech can be affected.
• Your other teeth will slide towards the gap.

That’s why you need to call our Birmingham, AL dental office today for a dental restoration. Overall, how you look impacts how you feel about yourself. If you feel you’ve gained weight after all those holiday meals, you know exactly what that’s like. The same is true for your smile. If it looks bad thanks to a big gap in it, you can lose some self-esteem and confidence.

Two Ways To Replace Individual Teeth

When it comes to restorative dentistry, there are two ways you can replace an individual lost tooth: a dental bridge and a dental implant.

Dental bridges use three dental crowns. One serves as the natural-looking replacement tooth you need. The other two are placed on the teeth next to the empty space. The replacement is bonded to the other crowns. This holds it firmly in place without oral surgery.

Dental implants have three parts: a dental crown serving as the replacement, an artificial tooth root, and an abutment connecting the two. The root is surgically implanted in your jawbone, which securely holds the replacement tooth in the space.

Comparing Dental Bridges And Dental Implants

But which one should you get? Here is how these two dental restorations compare.

YOUR HEALTH

When it comes to your overall dental health, dental implants beat dental bridges. Your jawbone is supposed to have roots from your teeth in it. When those roots are gone (such as when you lose a tooth), the bone tissue there begins to deteriorate.

Dental bridges do not include a replacement root. However, dental implants use an artificial root to hold the replacement tooth in that spot. This keeps your jawbone healthy and is why dental implants beat bridges here.

AFFORDABILITY

When it comes to the cost of these restorative dentistry treatments, dental bridges are the winner. To place a dental implant, you need oral surgery. While that’s what gives dental implants an advantage for your dental health, it also drives up the price. Surgically placing implants in your jawbone is just more complicated (and expensive) than using dental crowns. If you’re just looking at cost, dental bridges are the way to go.

DURABILITY

Here, dental implants again have an edge. Dental bridges are designed to last 10 years or so on average. That’s because the replacement tooth is held only by bonds with the neighboring dental crowns. By contrast, dental implants are much closer to a real tooth and can last more than 20 years. If you want a dental restoration that lasts the longest, you want a dental implant.

MAINTENANCE

Some dental restorations need special care at home to make sure they last. However, dental bridges and dental implants are about the same here. You cannot floss with a dental bridge because of the bonds with those dental crowns. Other than that, you only need to brush, floss, and visit our Birmingham, AL dental office twice each year like you would anyway.

Call us TODAY at 205-545-8007 or use our online form to schedule your appointment. Your smile should be full of teeth. Dental bridges and dental implants both replace teeth, but which should you get? Our dentists will thoroughly examine your teeth and jaw to make an informed recommendation.

That said, read the differences above and let us know which one you prefer. At our Birmingham, AL dental office, you are treated as a partner in your dental care. That means your opinion matters here.