Here’s a continuation of the blog topic on dental bridge vs dental implant.

One of the main disadvantages of a dental bridge is the need to remove natural tooth structure on each tooth adjacent on each side. Dental implants on the other hand are independent from neighboring teeth.  So it is possible to replace missing teeth without having to drill down neighboring teeth on either side.

What are the ‘pros’ of getting a dental bridge?

Simply put, less overall cost and less treatment time.  Also, dental bridges can be completed within two weeks vs. the four to five months it may take to complete a dental implant.  Sometimes, it is also easier to achieve superior aesthetics when replacing teeth with a dental bridge vs dental implant.

In addition, with a dental bridge it may be easier to create the illusion that the porcelain is emerging from beneath the gum line, as if it were connected to the roots.  We call this an emergence profile and it is critical to achieve for creating a natural look.

In some cases this is not as easy to achieve with implant crowns, and thus can leave unsatisfactory results. Especially if the tooth being worked on is visible in your smile.  Sometimes people complain that dental implants do not absorb any impact while chewing.  For example, they say things like this makes the dental implant feel like a foreign object, or that it feels unreal, and/or that it changes their taste or eating experience.

Dental bridges are attached to natural teeth, and so the slight movement (spring type movement) with bridges mirror natural teeth.   Thus, its ability to absorb impact is unchanged.

So that concludes the blog topic on dental bridge vs dental implant.  I hope you have a better understanding of the pros and cons.

Your friendly North Hollywood Dentist