Dental Implant vs. Bridge

Thanks to modern dentistry, you can replace missing teeth in a number of different ways. No matter why you’ve lost one or more permanent teeth, and what dental issues you’re currently facing, you have plenty of options that can give you back a beautiful and fully functional smile.

If you’re considering your options, check out this short blog post to find out the major difference between two of the most popular tooth replacement procedures: dental implants and bridges.

What Are Dental Implants?

Dental implants are prosthetic teeth designed to look and function exactly like a natural tooth. The metal post gets inserted into the jaw and behaves just like a natural root, while the abutment and dental crown are placed on top to complete the procedure, and with it your smile.

Dental implants in Jacksonville are used to completely replace a missing tooth, can help prevent tooth shifting, and even support healthy jaw bone mass.

What Are Bridges?

Dental bridges are a type of prosthetic really similar to dental crowns. The difference is, bridges are designed to restore and replace multiple teeth at the same time.

In general, bridges are used when you have 1-2 missing teeth next to each other, and when the following tooth on each side is also dealing with some damage. It’s not recommended in cases where the surrounding teeth are perfectly healthy, since the bridge prepping involves reshaping the natural tooth and cutting its size.

What’s the Difference Between Them?

Let’s look at a side-by-side comparison to see which one of these procedures might work best for you:

• Durability - Dental implants are permanent replacements, and with the right care, you can enjoy them for your entire life. Dental bridges may last between 10-15 years before they need to be replaced;
• Cost - Bridges are cheaper than dental implants if you consider they can restore multiple teeth at the same time. But if you only need 1 dental implant, your overall costs with implant surgery might be slightly lower;
• Results - Both implants and bridges are designed to match your tooth shape and color, offering you perfectly natural results;
• Maintenance - Both implants and bridges are easy to maintain and require good oral health habits. One major difference with bridges, however, is that you cannot floss between the individual teeth, since it’s just 1 prosthetic.

Which One Is Right for You?

There are a lot of factors that go into choosing the right procedure to restore a smile. During your visit, Dr. Charles Poblenz will closely inspect your oral health and help you access the best solution to give you back a healthy and stunning smile.

If you’re ready to learn how you can replace your missing teeth, schedule an appointment at JAX Dental Studios online.

Want to learn more about our services? Then call us at (904) 396-4091 today for a short chat.