Many people with dental bridges sometimes wonder if they should replace them with dental implants. It’s not difficult to see why this is so. The latter is better than the former for a variety of important reasons.
To begin with, dental implants are the modern option to a bridge. When you replace a bridge with dental implants—using the professional services of a skilled and experienced dentist—you finally get a permanent and more effective solution.
Some other factors that make dental implants better and justify the replacement of old bridges by them
1. Longer Life
Although the expected lifespan of dental bridges is between 10 and 15 years, the truth is that many patients only use these bridges for 5-10 years before they have to change them, thanks to a plethora of reasons. One key reason is that, over a period of time, plaque, tatar, and bacteria gather under and near the bridges, and these harm the surrounding natural teeth supporting the dental crowns.
Fractures and root canal complications can also aggravate the complex health situation further. Thanks to these issues, the natural supporting teeth begin to decompose. As a result, they become weak and lose their strength to support the bridgework. In such a situation, you are left with no option except to consult your dentist and then get them removed as soon as possible before they cause more problems.
Hygiene is a big issue, too, as it can be very difficult to thread the floss under the bridge.
2. Higher Success Rate
Dental implants have an astonishingly high success rate of 97%. This is considerably higher than any other tooth-replacement alternative, including dental bridges.
3. Less Expensive over time
Contrary to popular belief, dental implants are comparatively less costly than bridges. Surprised? But it’s true! Even though bridges may have a lower upfront cost, it’s not a permanent tooth-replacement option. You have to continually maintain your bridge and change it throughout your life, and this may prove to be pricier in the future for you.
In contrast, dental implants provide long term solutions, and when you get them placed, restored, and maintained by a skilled professional, they may last a lifetime.
How? Well, dental implants will keep the neighboring teeth safe from decay. This will save money in the long term by avoiding more teeth replacements as well as continual fixes to the bridge.
4. Dental Implants are Defined
A key reason why most experts (and patients) nowadays prefer dental implants for tooth replacement is that they are tremendously precise. Today, experts—through computer-guided implant surgery—carefully place the implants at the precise right location and angle. This dramatically improves the way implant surgery is carried out and boosts the efficiency of the process while reducing postoperative complications and pain.
5. Dental Implants Protect Natural Teeth
Unlike dental bridges, which destroy natural teeth by using them as supports for the bridgework, dental implants protect the natural, neighboring teeth. The reason: implants are supported by the jawbone, and not the surrounding natural teeth. This means that dental implants can be used to change the missing teeth, without any harm to the neighboring teeth. This makes implants a decisively better alternative than bridges when one has to change some missing teeth surrounded by natural teeth.
Summing Up
In view of the many benefits of dental implants, it may be time to consider replacing your old dental bridge with a dental implant if some of your teeth are missing. For a smooth and successful dental implant process, call Palencia Dental, an expert and experienced dentist in St. Augustine TODAY!
