When considering a bridge versus dental implants we must take the following
factors into account:
• Jaw bone resorbtion - Treatment with a dental implant vs.
bridges involves placing implants in areas where there are no teeth and
by so doing, the bone area is stimulated again and this helps prevent long
term bone loss in that area.
If a bridge that connects two teeth is used instead of a dental implant,
pressure is not applied on the jaw bone! Therefore the bone is not
stimulated and begins to shrink away. Conclusion – dental implants
preserve the underlying jawbone.
• Improved oral health – Dental implants do not affect your other
healthy teeth, more of your own teeth are left intact. A bridge, on the
other hand, requires the preparation of and cutting down of healthy, adjacent teeth in
order to support the bridge structure.
• Durability – a permanent solution to tooth loss is offered
with a dental implant vs. bridges, which have a life expectancy of only
10 years. Implants integrate into the jaw bone and become part of it – this
connection is as strong as a natural tooth root. Using a bridge relies
on the side forces applied on the adjacent teeth and on the bridge’s
structure.
When using a bridge vs. dental implants, you support your structure on
natural teeth that are still vulnerable to decay and other diseases,
implants on the other hand cannot develop any diseases since they are
made of titanium.
• Oral hygiene - Individual dental implants allow easier access
between teeth, enabling everyday normal dental care. Caring for and flossing bridges is
not an easy task and requires time and patience, making it a tiresome
process. This fact eventually will give an advantage to the implants by
enabling improved everyday oral hygiene.
• Esthetics – A dental implant vs. bridges looks good due to
modern technology allowing dentists to achieve results that look exactly
like natural teeth. When comparing between a bridge vs dental implants,
the conclusion is clear! Dental implants look better than
bridges.
• Treatment plan flexibility – Dental implants enable more
flexibility in planning a treatment plan than bridges. As a matter of
fact, in many cases only implants can be used and bridges are not an
option! Example – when a few teeth are missing in the same site.
• Price – The upfront price of a bridge is cheaper than a dental implant
solution. But when considering the long run – you must realize that
implants are actually the cheaper option after all! Because of the low
durability of the bridges and various complications, including decay of the supporting teeth that can occur, additional
expenses await you down the road. Example – having to replace the
bridge or needing additional crowns on the supporting teeth…
So.. after considering a bridge vs dental implants and taking
all the factors onto account – it is quite clear that the dental
implants solution is preferable. Even though the initial price is
higher, in the long run it is actually a cheaper alternative.
To see if you are a candidate for dental implants, call the office of Manalapan, Prosthodontist, Dr. James Courey, 732-298-6551, to schedule your consultation today.
