Dental appliances in Regina and Saskatoon

Dental Bridge or Dental Implant? Advantages and Disadvantages

So you want to replace that missing or broken tooth? Fortunately for you there are several options to choose from including the following:

  • Removable partial dentures
  • Implant supported crowns
  • Fixed partial denture, more commonly known as a dental bridge

 

 

Removable Partial Denture

Implant Supported Crown

Dental Bridge

 

There are several advantages and disadvantages to each solution for replacing a missing tooth. A removable partial denture is just that, removable. A dental implant or bridge is fixated in the mouth and not removable.

We will look at the advantages and disadvantages of the two fixated options, bridges and implants.

Dental Implant Advantages:

  • Improved appearance
  • Better speech
  • Comfortable and natural feeling
  • Increased self-esteem
  • Improved oral health
  • Durable with a high success rate
  • Convenience in cleaning
  • Adjacent teeth remain untouched

Dental Implant Disadvantages:

  • Cost. They can be expensive.
  • Potential for complications as some implants will not integrate with the bone and fail
  • They require a minor surgery
  • They are a life-long commitment and require ongoing maintenance and sometimes even replacement of the crown/restoration.
  • Time. Often a tooth needs be extracted, the site is allowed to heal for several months, the implant is then placed and requires several months to integrate into the bone before a crown can be placed on top of the implant. A dental bridge can be completed faster. There are some cases that a crown can be placed on top of an implant at the time of surgery and therefore can be a quick procedure. These cases are best determined by an oral health professional.
  • Insurance coverage for dental implants is becoming more common but dental insurance sometimes may not cover the cost.

Dental Bridge Advantages:

  • Improved appearance
  • Better speech
  • Comfortable and natural feeling
  • Increased self-esteem
  • Improved oral health
  • Durable with a high success rate
  • Adjacent teeth can benefit from the full-coverage of the bridge restoration if the adjacent teeth are in need of crowns/full-coverage restorations.
  • Dental insurance coverage typically covers dental bridges more than they do implants. However, we are seeing this change and more insurance companies are covering the cost of a dental implant as well.
  • Time. They are typically faster to complete than a dental implant that cannot have a crown placed immediately.

Dental Bridge Disadvantages:

  • More difficult to clean than a single-tooth dental implant
  • Adjacent teeth need to be prepared and reduced resulting in a permanent loss of tooth structure.
  • Cost. Dental bridges can be expensive.
  • Potential for complications as some teeth that are used to support the bridge may need root canal treatment following preparation, the bone support could fail, the restoration could break or the supporting teeth could develop decay/cavities. If a dental bridge fails it will need to be replaced.
  • They are a life-long commitment and require ongoing maintenance and sometimes even replacement.

If you are interested in learning more about dental implants, please read our blog post here.

If you would like to schedule a consultation with a dentist in Regina at simpli dental for a free consultation to discuss replacing a broken or missing tooth. Please contact us here.

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