Posted on 5/15/2024 by Office - Dr. Anthony Hoffman
People who are looking at options for restorative dentistry have more choices than ever before. Depending on how many teeth you have lost, you can look at implants, dentures, or bridges. If you want a permanent tooth replacement, you need to think about replacing those teeth with bridges or implants.
All About Bridges
A bridge acts as a bridge between natural teeth and restorative dentistry. In general, dentists make bridges out of ceramic, porcelain, or composite. Our dentists use bridges for one tooth or several teeth on one side of your jaw or for teeth located directly opposite each other in your upper or lower jaw.
Bridges can prevent teeth from shifting and fill in the spaces where missing teeth leave an empty space. However, bridges may not completely stop bone loss in your jaw, which can happen when teeth are missing. Also, in order to have a bridge, you have to have strong teeth to hook or cement the bridge into. If you do not have strong teeth to act as an anchor, a bridge may not work for you.
There are four basic types of bridges dentists use. Traditional bridges use prosthetic teeth with a base that hooks or cements into your natural crowned teeth or an implanted tooth. Cantilever bridges only cement or hook into one side of your tooth and are usually used on front teeth. Maryland bridges have a framework behind the tooth to support the bridge. Implant-supported bridges use implanted teeth to anchor the bridge.
Implants
Implants represent the closest thing to the teeth you were born with. Implants consist of a titanium or zirconia screw that screws directly into your jawbone. Your gums and jawbone believe that your tooth has returned, so you do not lose gum tissue or bone tissue, which means your face shape does not change. Implants are a permanent solution to tooth loss. One of the downsides to implants is the cost, as implants are more expensive than bridges.
Need help figuring out whether to get bridges or implants? Let us help you determine which method is right for you. Give our office a call today.
People who are looking at options for restorative dentistry have more choices than ever before. Depending on how many teeth you have lost, you can look at implants, dentures, or bridges. If you want a permanent tooth replacement, you need to think about replacing those teeth with bridges or implants.
