Replacing missing teeth has become easier more natural looking over the last 30 years; the improvements have allowed more people to have a confident smile and better dental health. Now the next step is determining which replacement is the best option for you: a wilmington dental implants or a dental bridge. The way to get to the best answer is to work with your dentist. We all want an inexpensive answer that will last a long time and look natural without requiring any down time or recovery. While technology is helping move us in that direction, we are not quite able to meet all of those wants with one solution. And it may seem like a dental implant is the best option, but you and your dentist will need to talk before you reach an answer.
Practical Reasons for Both
Dental bridges were your only option for a long time and the bridge affects the surrounding teeth, while addressing the missing tooth. The teeth on either side of the gap needed to be filed to remove the enamel. Dental implants allow the dentist to replace the missing tooth with a stronger and permanent crown without having to compromise the surrounding teeth. A bridge may be in your future if the neighboring teeth have been treated for decay and may need to be treated again. A bridge may also be the ideal treatment if the gap you are looking to fill is from a tooth that has been gone for a long time. After a tooth is removed, the gum and bone start to recede and your jawbone and gums will need procedures beyond the implant.
Changes in Your Oral Care Routine
Dental implants allow you to keep your mouth healthier more easily; dental bridges connect at least three crowns with dental cement causing challenges for brushing and flossing the area. Extra steps with your at home oral hygiene after special instructions from your dentist are needed to care for the area around the false teeth. Conversely, implants affect just the one tooth so you can treat that crown with your brushing and flossing just like all the other teeth in your mouth.
Durability
Without question, dental implants are more durable than bridges; the titanium fuses with the bone in your jaw to create a strong anchor. Implants like this can offer a lifetime of improved dental health. Dental bridges last approximately 10 years and unlike decay resistant titanium, the portion of your natural tooth that remains beneath it is more susceptible to decay.
Aesthetics
Visually, you will need to see work your dentist has already done to decide which one will look more natural in your mouth. You will want a dentist who looks at the shape and color of your other teeth before creating a new tooth for you. Most people tend to prefer the look of the implant over the bridge but this may come back to the artistry behind the work and not the method of replacement.
Dental Bridge vs. Implant Cost
Initially a dental bridge will cost you less, but the dental bridge will need to be replaced and maybe more than once. At the onset of reviewing your options, dental implants may seem more expensive, but as they are a lifetime investment, they are the most cost effective solution over time. At this point, dental insurance plans are starting to cover a portion of or, in some cases, all of the procedures. In addition, talk to the staff at the office, they may be able to offer you payment plans for either a dental bridge or a dental implant. No matter what you choose, be sure to make this decision with your dentist.
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