A few years ago, I started thinking carefully about what I could do to improve my smile. I had lived with crooked, yellowed teeth for most of my adult life, and honestly, I just wanted to feel beautiful. I started thinking about working with a cosmetic dentist, and before I knew it, I was in an office getting a complimentary consultation. I learned about a variety of different procedures that could improve my look, and it was really fun. I wanted to create a blog all about making smiles more beautiful, which is why I made this website. Check out this blog for great information about dentistry.
If you have a missing tooth, your dentist may present you with multiple tooth replacement options. For a single-tooth replacement, dentists often suggest a dental bridge or a dental implant. However, a dental implant may be preferred. Here are a few reasons why:
With an implant, there is no need to alter healthy teeth.
Even though the teeth that border the space left by your missing tooth may be perfectly healthy, the teeth will need to be offered if your tooth is replaced using a conventional dental bridge.
A dental bridge for a single-tooth replacement includes a false tooth with a dental crown on each side of it. The crowns are placed over the two natural teeth that border your gap so that the bridge can be held firmly in place.
However, before the crowns can be placed, the natural teeth that will be covered must be debrided. If the teeth are not shaved down, the crowns cannot align properly with the other teeth in your mouth, and the bridge will look unbalanced and unnatural.
A dental implant replaces the natural tooth without causing damage to adjacent teeth.
With an implant, jawbone stimulation continues.
A dental implant is embedded into the jawbone like the root of a natural tooth. This placement encourages continued jawbone stimulation. As you chew or bite, the impact force reaches your jawbone and stimulates the production of healthy new bone cells. If no bite pressure is experienced by bone, it begins to atrophy over time, resulting in bone loss.
A dental bridge includes a suspended false tooth, so at the site of the gap, no bone stimulation occurs.
An implant can support the installation of other dental prosthetics.
Hopefully, you don't lose any more of your teeth. However, if you do, a dental implant can serve as a support for a bridge or denture that may be needed to replace multiple teeth.
Some dentures, called overdentures, include a connecting device that allows the appliances to attach to existing teeth or dental implants for support.
No component of a bridge can serve as its own support or as a support for a denture.
If you are planning to have a missing tooth replaced, a dental implant may be a great option for you. However, that determination can only be made by a dentist. To learn whether or not you are a good candidate for a dental implant, schedule an appointment with a dentist (such as one from Mount Royal Dental) in your area.
Share13 January 2016
