Dental Implants Vs. Bridges: What’s Right For Me?

When it comes to replacing one or more missing teeth, both dental implants and bridges are effective options. The right choice for restoring your smile depends on your oral health, your lifestyle, and your budget, as well as a number of other factors. Here are a few things that the team at Buckwalter Dental Care wants you to know when it comes to the advantages of both procedures:

Dental Implants

A dental implant is a small, screw-shaped piece of titanium that is placed surgically into your gums and jaw. Over time, your implant will heal and bond with your jaw bone, and will eventually function as an artificial root. A dental crown or another implant-supported restoration can be attached to this implant to restore one or more teeth. 

The Benefits Of Dental Implants

Dental implants have a number of unique benefits:

• Long lifespan – With proper care, dental implants last 30+ years. Most patients will keep their implants for the rest of their lives.
  
  
• Minimal care required – Simply brush twice a day and floss once a day, and see Dr. Darrah for an exam and cleaning every six months.
  
  
• Protects jaw bone health – Because your implant is bonded directly to your jaw bone, it helps stimulate and strengthen it. This prevents bone resorption, which is a common problem after tooth loss.
  

If you are missing one or more teeth, but your jaw bone and gums are strong and healthy, you are most likely a good candidate for dental implants. 

Dental Bridges

Dental bridges consist of two crowns that attach to healthy “abutment teeth” to support one or more pontics (false teeth), bridging the gap where your missing tooth used to be. ‍

The Benefits Of Dental Bridges

Dental bridges also have unique benefits for patients suffering from tooth loss:

• Restores your smile quickly – It can take 6+ months to place a dental implant and crown, but treatment with bridges usually takes only a few weeks.
  
  
• Affordable & covered by insurance – Bridges are often more affordable than implants, and they are also likely to be covered (at least partially) by most dental insurance policies.
  
  
• Can be placed even after bone resorption – Even if your jaw bone has weakened due to tooth loss, you can have a dental bridge placed.
  

If you are missing one or more adjacent teeth and are not interested in dental implants, bridges may be a good option for you.

What’s Right For Me – Dental Implants Or Bridges?

To learn more and find out which treatment is right for you, schedule a consultation with Dr. Darrah at Buckwalter Dental Care. Give us a call at (843) 815-3232 to get started, or stop by our office at 31 Innovation Dr, #2, Bluffton, SC 29910, and Dr. Darrah can discuss all of your options for replacing your missing teeth, and restoring your smile.