Dental Implant or Dental Bridge?

Everyone who has a missing tooth in their mouth wants to know “What is better for me? A dental implant or a dental bridge?”

Well the answer as to whether an implant or bridge is better for you is not an easy one.

In fact the decision whether to have a dental bridge or a dental implant depends on your unique situation . Every circumstance is different for each individual patient. Just as you are unique, so is the decision, dental bridge or dental implant.

Another question often posed is “what is the cost difference between a dental implant and dental bridge? In fact there is very little difference between the two options when it comes to costing .

A dental implant consists of a dental implant crown and a dental implant abutment, where as dental bridge consists of two dental crowns and one dental pontic ( dummy tooth that replaces the missing tooth).

The primary consideration as to whether implant or bridge is the condition of the teeth adjacent to the gap.If the bounding teeth are in good condition then an implant is probably the way to go, however if the adjacent teeth are is poor condition , heavily filled, with poor cosmetics (those big black metal fillings), then they would probably need crowning anyway. In this case it is a no brainer to rather go for the dental bridge. Another consideration is how long have you had the missing tooth, has it been a recent extraction or has the gap been there for a while?

There is a difference as to whether the gap is recent or long standing, maybe a number of years?

Another consideration is the position of the gap . Is it the the front of the mouth ? Is it in the rear of the mouth? These considerations all affect the decision as to whether to have a dental bridge or dental implant.

Is there maybe a tooth still present that needs to be extracted. This would mean the need for a temporary tooth , if the gap is in your smile. In the case of an implant that would likely be a temporary denture for three months which is not as comfortable as a temporary bridge . Why a temporary denture or temporary bridge in the case of a front tooth that is needed to be extracted?

Well the answer is healing. The recent extraction site needs to heal for several weeks before an implant or bridge can be placed, so that gum shrinkage doesn’t affect the cosmetic end result.

A dental implant requires adequate bone. If the is insufficient bone for adental implant , then bone grafting may be required. This can push up the cost of a dental implant above a dental bridge by several hundred dollars and possibly extend treatment time from four months to seven months!

If you feel confused as to whether a dental implant or dental bridge is better for you , don’t feel alone. As you can see the there are several factors that come into play in the decision making process. Often patients get confused and try to make an emotional decision.

The true of the matter is that you should rely heavily on the the advice of your dentist or prosthodontist as to your decision, as each situation is unique and may be better suited to either a dental bridge or a dental implant.