IMPLANT VS. BRIDGE

TOOTH LOSS

Many people will experience tooth loss at some point in their life. If you are missing one or more teeth, you may be aware of their importance to your appearance and dental health. Your teeth work together for many daily functions from eating to speaking. With missing teeth, it is difficult to do these things. Missing teeth can and should be replaced.

Oral functionality and appearance are important reasons for replacing teeth as one main function is to support the relationship between your lips, cheeks, and tongue. The loss of a back tooth may cause your mouth to sink and your face to look older. Teeth were designed to complement each other. Unusual stresses are placed on the gums and other oral tissues when teeth are missing, causing a number of potentially harmful disorders.

Increased risk of gum disease has proven to be one of the worst side effects of missing teeth and can be minimized by replacing the space properly preventing other teeth from drifting.

Missing teeth can cause speech disorders because they are used to make many of the sounds we use to speak clearly. Several factors are taken into account when your designing your tooth replacement option to attempt to give you back something that is functional and beautiful.

REASONS FOR TOOTH LOSS

Congenital conditions (you were missing these teeth since birth)
Decayed or broken teeth that are not savable
Fractured fillings or cracked teeth
Failed root canal treatment

As a prosthodontist, Dr. Schlam will thoughtfully assess all aspects of your case to help you decide which tooth replacement option is best for you.

Dental bridges, popular because of their affordability and convincing appearance, are just one of the options available to our patients.

Dental Implants, which require a surgical procedure, are often the most predictable, long-lasting tooth replacement available. Often dental implants can provide a less invasive treatment option if the teeth adjacent to the missing space are healthy.

HOW DO I TAKE CARE OF AN IMPLANT vs. BRIDGE?

A personalized home care regimen will be designed for you based on your prosthetic tooth replacements. Dental implants can be used to replace one or multiple teeth and due to this your regimen may be different. When considering a single tooth being replaced, often it is easier to brush and floss around a dental implant as it will not be connected to the neighboring teeth. You can floss around it similar to a natural tooth, paying particular attention to flossing deeper around the connecting prosthetic parts. A bridge, as it relies on the neighboring teeth for support, requires specific flossing techniques to ensure proper cleansing around all of the supporting structures.

Call

541-316-8051

drschlam@bendprosthodontics