Dental Implant vs Dental Bridge

There are quite a few differences in these two teeth replacement options. If you have had the misfortune of having a tooth extracted or possibly a tooth knocked out as the result of an accident, a consultation with your dentist regarding the pros and cons of each solution will help you make the correct decision for your situation. Let us look at the differences, the procedures themselves and then try to identify the benefits of each approach.

The Primary Differences between a Dental Implant and a Dental Bridge

Before the introduction of the dental implants in port huron michigan in the 1960s the dental bridge was your only real option of a tooth replacement. Due now to some quantifiable benefits the interest has really grown in dental implants in the last 25 years, with more than 500,000 procedures a year.

The dental bridge relies on the neighboring teeth for support. Like a bridge, the adjoining teeth are called abutment teeth. They are used to anchor the artificial crown that is suspended between the two natural teeth. The supporting structure is affixed to the adjacent teeth floating the crown directly above the gum line.

The dental implant does not rely on the adjacent teeth for support. Rather, a titanium post is placed into the jawbone acting as a man-made root for the artificial crown that is them placed on that post. With minor surgery involved this procedure takes considerably longer but can deliver a superior replacement product.

The Dental Bridge Procedure

The neighboring teeth are initially cut down to receive a crown. This means the layer of enamel is removed. A mold of your teeth captures the correct size and spacing. The neighboring crowns are fabricated at a dental lab with the artificial crown connected to them. The finishing step is to simply glue the crowns on to the adjacent teeth.

The Dental Implant Procedure

After x-rays confirm that your jawbone is dense enough to support the titanium post, the soft tissue is numbed and the periodontist gains access to the jawbone with a small incision. A hole is then drilled into the jawbone and the post inserted. Now the post needs several months to fuse to the bone. This is an important step. After the post is stable the artificial crown is affixed to the post and you have an artificial tooth that looks, feels, and functions like the natural one.

The Benefits of Both

The biggest benefit for the dental bridge is time. It is a quicker solution. It may also be determined that your jawbone is not strong enough to support the titanium post as well. The dental implant has numerous benefits. The post will deliver pressure sensations that the bridge cannot as you bite and chew. The life expectancy of the dental implant can double that of the dental bridge, but this comes at a minor difference in cost. Finally, the post, acting as a root, will help the jawbone stay strong and help the bone density to not suffer from atrophy, which may happen with the dental bridge.

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