Edentulous patients have lots of options when it comes to tooth replacement: dentures, dental implants, and dental bridges are the most popular. However, each of these fake tooth prosthetics comes with its own pros and cons, so it’s important to fully understand them before choosing one option over the others. Dental bridges are a restorative dental application that not many people know about, so we’re dedicating this blog post to a brief explanation of what dental bridges are and why they’re a good tooth replacement option.
What Are Dental Bridges?
Dental bridges are synonymous with fixed partial dentures, meaning they’re a permanent dental restoration that requires oral surgery. A dental bridge is made up of one or more dental implants that are secured to the surrounding teeth with white dental crowns. The dental implants contain strong titanium posts, which are screwed into the jawbone, and the dental crowns fit over the surrounding teeth to provide a “bridge” holding the dental implant in place. The end result is a permanent tooth replacement that allows you to chew and speak normally.
Who Can Benefit?
Dental bridges are made for dental patients who are missing one or more adjacent teeth, not all of them. In order for a dental bridge to be successful, there must be healthy teeth surrounding the missing tooth so that the crowns can help hold the dental implant in place. The other option for these patients is a removable partial denture with metal clasps, which doesn’t offer as much stability. For people who are missing all their teeth, full dental implants and complete removable dentures are the best options.
What Are The Benefits?
When it comes to dental restorations, tooth extraction is usually your dentist’s last resort because missing teeth cause a host of problems for the surrounding teeth. Plus, it’s better to restore your natural teeth than it is to extract and replace them altogether. That being said, the second best thing to a natural tooth is a fake tooth replacement that screws into the jawbone in order to fill the space and prevent the other teeth from shifting.
Not only that but replacing a missing tooth with an implant-supported restoration helps to minimize jawbone resorption or the weakening of the jawbone due to a missing tooth. Both dental bridges and dental implants facilitate jawbone regrowth in patients with missing teeth, as the bone adapts and grows around the titanium post to create a secure dental restoration. Because of this, patients with dental implants and dental bridges regain significantly more functionality than those with dentures.
Ask Our Dentists About Dental Bridges
If you are missing one or more teeth, it is imperative that you visit your dental clinic immediately. As previously mentioned, missing teeth result in the surrounding teeth shifting out of their optimal position, creating further dental problems. Contact us today with further questions about dental bridges, dental implants, and dentures, or book an appointment online at Constitution Dental in Downtown Ottawa. Our dentists would be more than happy to discuss our tooth replacement options with you and help you decide which prosthetic is best.