For people who’ve lost one or a few teeth, dental bridges can be a lifesaver by reestablishing the ability to bite and chew properly, as well as restoring confidence with a full, beautiful smile. Yet conventional bridges aren’t perfect, and their many benefits also come with a few drawbacks that must be taken into consideration. Fortunately, dental implants can often make dental bridges better and resolve many of those concerns by providing innovative, root-like options for supporting your replacement teeth.
Conventional Dental Bridges
A dental bridge is designed to work just like its namesake, bridging the empty space that is left by missing teeth. The bridge consists of one or more lifelike replacement teeth, called pontics, which are supported by crowns that are attached to neighboring healthy teeth. To accommodate the crowns and bridge, abutment teeth are slightly modified before the bridge is secured in place. A dental bridge rebuilds your smile by replacing lost teeth, but can also lead to other issues due to the sculpting down of healthy, natural tooth structure.
Upgrading with One or More Implants
For many patients who’ve lost teeth, dental implants offer a highly advanced solution to replacing them, including the roots that once rested in the jawbone. In the case of dental bridges, implants allow your dentist to secure your new teeth without having to modify any of your healthy remaining tooth structure. Implants are small, root-like devices that support your bridge in the same way that roots support healthy, natural teeth, eliminating the need for additional methods of support that could compromise other teeth.
