Restoring functioning is the top concern in cases of tooth loss or extraction. In addition to affecting how you look and speak, missing teeth can also lower your confidence and self-esteem. Dental bridges and implants are two of the most commonly used remedies for these issues.

Bridges and dental implants in SE Calgary may seem to provide comparable results, but they differ greatly in terms of technology. If you’re looking for the best way to replace your missing teeth, it’s critical to have a thorough understanding of the options that are accessible to you.

What is a dental implant?

This is a suitable choice if you have lost a tooth because of periodontal disease, decay, trauma, or other causes. A dental implant is a crown-supporting titanium post that functions as a tooth root.

To make sure it is securely fixed in place, it is surgically placed into the jawbone, where it will eventually fuse, or osseointegrate, into the jawbone. An abutment is fastened to the post frame once the osseointegration process is complete, which typically takes three to six months. It provides the space where the dental crown is screwed or cemented into by protruding over the gum line.

Benefits and drawbacks of implants

Dental implants have several benefits, chief among them being reduced stress on neighbouring teeth and the promotion of gum and bone mending behind the tooth. They also usually lessen the long-term hazards associated with the jaw. A dental implant of superior quality should generally be anticipated to last a lifetime. 

Dental implants have the drawback of potentially being an expensive procedure. particularly when numerous individual teeth need to be replaced in various locations. It can cost several thousand dollars to replace even one tooth with an implant.     

Additionally, implants typically take longer to complete and involve several steps. After the initial implant treatment, your mouth may take months to heal, necessitating oral surgery. Bridge work usually takes a few weeks, except in the most extreme circumstances.

What is a dental bridge?

In order to bridge a gap in a recipient’s smile, a dental bridge is cemented to the neighbouring healthy teeth. In conventional iterations of the process, a bridge is accommodated by shaving down the two teeth on opposing sides of a gap.

After that, a bridge is affixed to each tooth to replace the lost teeth, and a cap is placed over each one. Your dentist near you might use a winged, or Maryland, bridge that is embedded into the neighbouring teeth rather than one that completely caps them in areas of the mouth that can withstand less strain or where only one tooth is missing.

There might not always be teeth on either side of a gap. Installing a so-called cantilevered bridge is one way to solve this issue. With this kind of bridge, the bridge structure hangs over the space left by the loss of a single tooth.

Benefits and drawbacks of bridges 

Bridges are thought to be among the most economical ways to replace lost teeth, which is their primary benefit. Bridges also have the benefit of not requiring bone grafting in cases where  bone loss is prevalent. Additionally, dental bridges in SE Calgary provide a faster method of restoring lost teeth.

This prosthetic has a number of drawbacks, chief among them being increased stress on adjacent tissues, particularly the two teeth that are fixed to the bridge. A bridge is therefore rarely anticipated to last a lifetime. Furthermore, bridges don’t solve issues with underlying structural issues. This implies that even if the gap is closed, long-term problems brought on by bone loss from tooth extraction will persist.

Problems with cantilevered bridges are particularly well-known. They put a great deal of strain on the lone tooth they are fastened to. Maryland bridges’ little attachment and low force-absorbing capability also make them prone to issues. A Maryland bridge may also result in the loss of other teeth if it is not properly maintained.

Contact Us for Reliable Restorative Dentistry 

In addition to bridges and dental implants, our dentist in Calgary provides other superior services, including veneers, fillings, teeth whitening, cleaning, and Invisalign! Please give Heritage Smiles Dental a call to make your initial appointment.