Comparing Dental Restorations: Implants vs. Bridges, Which One Is for You?

Missing teeth are a life-altering condition that has affected Americans for years. While easily overlooked, all your teeth play a significant role in how you eat and speak; missing even one can trigger a chain reaction that negatively affects your oral health. To prevent this, promptly visiting a prosthodontist in Miami is key.

Several restorative dentistry options are available to prevent a missing tooth from considerably affecting your smile. Depending on the number of missing teeth and the condition of your mouth, we may recommend dental bridges or implants, but what’s the difference between these two treatments?

Dealing with Tooth Loss: A Common Challenge  

Adult tooth loss is very common but has decreased significantly over the past few decades. According to estimates, 69% of adults between the ages of 35 and 44 have lost at least one adult tooth. Approximately 25% of Americans lose all their adult teeth by age 74.  

Unfortunately, the issue of missing teeth extends far beyond appearance. Your oral health may suffer from several repercussions as a result of tooth loss. Some of these issues are:  

• Missing teeth make it harder to eat and speak comfortably, impacting your quality of life.

• The surrounding teeth will start shifting, too. When there’s a hole in your smile, your remaining teeth will move towards the available space, causing bite misalignment, difficulty chewing, and making you self-conscious.  

• Without the stimulation your tooth’s root provides, your jawbone will lose density and shrink.  

Luckily, the earlier you address tooth loss, the less effect it has on the rest of your mouth. To keep the rest of your teeth aligned and maintain your facial shape, you must get a dental restoration promptly. The two most common options are dental bridges and implants.

What Are Dental Bridges?

A dental bridge is a long-term restoration to replace one or more missing teeth. They’re an alternative to partial dentures. In dental bridges, pontics—the artificial teeth—are fixed to abutment teeth, which are adjacent to the gap. By using your natural teeth as an anchor, a bridge can restore your smile and improve your ability to speak and eat.

Metals like cobalt, gold, ceramic, porcelain, and resin can be used to make bridges. Ceramic is a popular option for front tooth replacement because it can be matched to your natural color and replicates the translucency of natural teeth. Porcelain bridges can be more resilient, making them better for back teeth.  

A pontic will be designed for each missing tooth, being custom-made to match the size and shape of the teeth around it.

Types of Dental Bridges  

There are several dental bridges, depending on the number of teeth that need replacement and your specific preferences. Some of these include:

• Traditional fixed bridges, the most common type of bridge, are used to replace a single missing tooth. It consists of a pontic in the middle, with two crowns on the side attached to your natural teeth.

• Maryland dental bridges are dental bridges that replace crowns with metal or porcelain frameworks with "wings" attached to the back of your teeth on either side of the gap. For this reason, they are often used to replace front teeth.

• Implant-supported bridges help replace three or more missing teeth. Instead of getting support from remaining natural teeth, an implant is placed on each side for patients with extensive tooth loss.

• Cantilever bridges are rarely used these days. These types of bridges are anchored by a single crown and have been used in cases where only one side of the gap had a natural tooth.

Benefits of Dental Bridges

Dental bridges have numerous advantages, such as:  

• Making your smile and mouth appear natural.

• Regaining your normal speech because enunciation, as pronouncing words correctly can be difficult when you have missing teeth.  

• Improving your ability to chew food.

• Keeping neighboring teeth from shifting into the space could lead to bite issues.

Risks of Dental Bridges

However, you should be aware that dental bridges have certain drawbacks and possible risks. These include:

• The bridge may be jeopardized if the abutment teeth sustain further damage.  

• Tooth decay can be caused by bacteria and plaque entering an improperly fitting bridge or crown.
• Crowns have the power to alter your teeth structure and bite.  

• The abutment teeth may collapse if they are not strong enough to support a bridge.

• Over time, the constant pressure may weaken the abutment teeth, requiring replacement with dental implants.  

• Abutment teeth may also become weaker due to jawbone loss caused by the missing tooth.

What Are Dental Implants?

A dental implant is an artificial replacement for the root of your tooth. Unlike dental bridges that use the surrounding teeth as support, implants consist of a screw surgically inserted into your jawbone. On top of it, a fake tooth, or crown, is inserted.

The screw is made out of titanium, a biocompatible material that can bond with your bone in a process known as osseointegration. This makes implants a unique dental restoration that is as solid as your natural teeth.

In addition to providing extra support, this factor also prevents jawbone density loss. When you lose a tooth, your jawbone starts to lack stimulation and nutrients in that part of your mouth. Over time, some of the bone tissue is broken down and reabsorbed by your body.

According to studies, 30% of the alveolar ridge—the area of your jawbone that houses your tooth socket—is gone when you lose a tooth. Furthermore, the first six months are when most bone loss happens. Dental implants can prevent this issue by providing the necessary stimulation, making them an attractive option for many patients.

Types of Dental Implants

There are several types of dental implants, each designed to meet different patient needs. The main types are:

• A single dental implant is the best option for those who have lost one tooth and wish to replace it for comfort, function, and appearance. A custom-designed dental crown is then connected to the implant screw to match the appearance and shape of your existing natural teeth.

• Implant-supported bridges are the best option for those with multiple missing teeth. Instead of a natural tooth, the implant holds the bridge in place. This stops other teeth from moving, restores function, and enhances speaking and eating abilities.

• All-on-4 implants® are advised for patients seeking a safe replacement for numerous lost teeth. An overdenture can be attached by strategically placing four implants, allowing patients to restore the entire upper or lower jaw (or both arches).

• 3-on-6 implants can be used as an alternative to implant-retained dentures. They are composed of six dental implants connected to three separate dental bridges.

Benefits of Dental Implants

Dental implants have several benefits, so many dentists recommend them as a long-lasting restoration. Compared to alternatives, dental implants can last longer and have a ten-year success rate of over 97%.

Other benefits include:

• Enables normal chewing and speech.

• Crafted to resemble your natural teeth, boosting your confidence.

• Provides independent support for the crown or prosthetic, reducing the strain on your natural teeth.

• Keeps bones healthy and lessens the signs of aging.

• Prevents the loss of jaw height.

• Easy to maintain and clean.

• Can last anywhere from 15 to 25 years when properly maintained.

Cons of Dental Implants

Sadly, implants do come with their downsides and are not ideal for everyone. Because they require surgical intervention and long healing periods, patients with conditions like diabetes may not be candidates for this procedure.

Other downsides include:

• Implants require invasive surgery to be placed. The procedure takes roughly 90 minutes, but the entire process could take up to 6 to 12 months since you typically need several dental visits.

• If you do not have enough natural bone left over after placement, bone grafting might be required.

Comparing Dental Implants and Bridges

Implants and bridges can be effective options for restoring one or several teeth. While implants are longer-lasting and may feel and work like natural teeth, they require surgical intervention, with longer treatment times, more dental visits, and higher costs.

Conversely, bridges are a simpler and more direct restoration. However, they do place an excessive strain on the surrounding natural teeth, which can suffer from decay and wear and tear over time.

Whatever solution you feel more inclined to, proper oral hygiene is fundamental to protecting your restoration. The same applies to regular visits to our dental office, where we’ll assess the condition of your prosthetic, ensure your smile is healthy, and suggest a dental cleaning, if necessary.

Find the Solution for You with a Prosthodontist in Miami

No one likes to have a missing tooth, but it can be easy to overlook the potential consequences that this may trigger. With prompt action and proper counseling, you can fully restore your smile, recovering the ability to eat and enjoy all your favorite foods without worries.

If you're not sure if a bridge or implant is best for you, a prosthodontist at Coral Gables Dentistry can help. Contact us and set up an appointment! ‍

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