Dental Implants vs Bridges: What’s Right For You?
When it comes to dental implants vs bridges, they both offer you a great solution to a common problem. When you lose teeth, it has a significant impact on your smile and the way you eat. Moreover, it can be a blow to your confidence and your self-esteem. Dental implants and dental bridges are two of the most common solutions that Houston cosmetic dentists use to help people restore their smiles.
At their core, both options address the same challenges. However, at a technical level, they are two very different options. When you need to find the right solution for your missing teeth, it’s essential that you understand your options. Additionally, it’s important to gain a full understanding of the process behind each option. Here’s what you need to know about implants and bridges so that you can find what’s best for you.
If you still have questions, feel free to contact the Houston dental team at FMS Dental. We are more than happy to schedule an appointment and help you explore your options.
What’s a Dental Implant?
As a Houston dentist office, many of our patients wonder what exactly a dental implant is. Oftentimes, people don’t realize how complex the structure of a tooth is below the gums. The structure includes bone, nerves, and ligaments. When it’s removed, the area around the tooth slowly begins to deteriorate.
With a dental implant, we replace the structure with a metal post, generally made of titanium. In the months following the procedure, new bone starts to form around the implanted metal. This helps to ensure the neighboring area stays healthy. Once your Houston dentist tests the new structure and knows it’s secure, we place a crown on top of the implant and see it in place.
What Are the Pros and Cons of Dental Implants?
One of the main advantages of a dental implant is how much it reduces the burden on your neighboring teeth. The structure promotes healing in the bone and gums under teeth. Moreover, a dental implant reduces long-term risks posed to your jaw. This is because high-quality implants tend to last a lifetime.
One of the main disadvantages of an implant is the cost of the treatment. This is especially true in cases where numerous teeth need to be replaced throughout the mouth. Even a single tooth replacement can have mounting costs, though. That’s why some dentists recommend dental bridges when they need to replace a large number of teeth.
Additionally, implants often take longer to heal and require multiple procedures. They often require oral surgery, meaning it may take months for your mouth to heal. Bridges on the other hand tend to take only a few weeks.
What Is a Dental Bridge?
At FMS Dental, your Houston cosmetic dentist might recommend a dental bridge when you’re concerned about the length of the process or the cost. A dental bridge attaches to the surrounding healthy teeth to connect the structures across a gap. More traditional versions of this procedure required the two connecting teeth to be shaved down in order to accommodate the bridge.
Afterwards, the dentist places a cap on each tooth, which are accompanied by the bridge to fill the gap and replace your missing teeth. When working in areas of the mouth that aren’t able to handle much force or when one tooth is missing, dentists often use a winged bridge. This style of bridge embeds into the neighboring teeth instead of capping them.
When there are not teeth on both sides of the gap, your dentist might use a cantilevered bridge. With this type of dental bridge, it attaches to a single tooth and hangs out over the gap.
The Pros and Cons of Dental Bridges
When working with dental bridges, they are often one of the most cost-effective measures for replacing missing teeth. For many people, this is their most significant advantage. Another is that they don’t require bone grafting when loss of bone is present in the mouth. Additionally, the process is much shorter when compared to a dental bridge.
On the other hand, their biggest disadvantage is the strain the might place on the neighboring structures, particularly the two teeth attached to the device. This is why dental bridges don’t last as long as implants. Additionally, they don’t address the issue of structural problems in the mouth. This can lead to bone loss done the road because the structure of missing teeth is never replaced.
With a cantilevered bridge, they are notorious for causing problems because they place more stress on one tooth. Winged bridges also come with problems because they don’t absorb as much force as an implant or natural tooth. Without proper maintenance, this can lead to the loss of additional teeth.
Personalized Solutions
As your Houston dentists, FMS Dental is dedicated to helping you find the perfect solution for your smile. That’s why we work with you to find a balance. Oftentimes, this balance comes in the form of mixed solutions.
When you have lost a significant number of teeth in a row, your Houston cosmetic dentist might recommend a mixed approach that involves both dental implants and dental bridges. For instance, the loss of your molars might mean that we need to use an implant at one end where there is no longer a tooth. From there, we may attach a cap at the other end and create a bridge from the healthy tooth to the implant.
Similarly, people missing most of their teeth in one section may require a bridge between two implants.
Will My Insurance Cover It?
To many insurance companies, dental implants and dental bridges are both high-end, expensive treatments. With the vast difference in their cost, many insurance providers prefer to pay for bridges instead of implants.
If you want to find the right treatment for your missing tooth, you may want to reach out to your insurance provide before you make your decision. Oftentimes, cost is one of the most important issues for people when considering dental implants vs bridges. When you talk to your provider, they can provide helpful information to assist in your decision.
Dental Implants vs Bridges: Find the Right Choice with FMS Dental
As your Houston cosmetic dentist, we want you to know that the most important thing to do to ensure you find the right treatment is to talk to us about your options. We can help you carefully weight every consideration that impacts your situation to ensure we make the right recommendation.
As dentists in Houston, it’s our job to provide you with the best solution possible. FMS Dental is always here to help you address missing teeth and develop a personalized treatment plan tailored to your specific needs. Contact us today to schedule an appointment with an experienced dentist.
