A dental bridge is a method of restoration. When a person has a missing tooth, it’s important to fill that gap with an artificial one. This restores order in the mouth by keeping other teeth in place. Restorative procedures like bridges also let people chew and speak without limitations.
Up until dental implants came along, dental bridges were considered the most effective and popular method of restoration. They’re still quite popular and are preferred by many patients. At Mass Bay Dental in Salem, MA, many of our patients with dental bridges have excellent outcomes.
A dental bridge is an artificial tooth held in place by attachment to flanking natural teeth. These teeth have to be modified slightly so they can carry and support the bridge. Dental bridges are permanent, and you won’t be able to take them off at the end of the day.
As long as there are adjacent healthy teeth for support, we can place a dental bridge. A tooth bridge can only have one artificial tooth, or it can have several. Unfortunately, if there are no healthy teeth for attachment, a bridge won’t be feasible. Additionally, if a person gets a bridge, but the adjacent teeth start to decay, the bridge might fall.
Dental implants are more recent discoveries in the world of restoration, but we also have plenty of experience with them here at Mass Bay Dental. An implant doesn’t need support from anything around it. A titanium screw is placed into the jawbone for adherence. After it fixates, we cover it with an artificial tooth.
Dental bridges usually last between 5 and 15 years, while implants should last a lifetime. Both aren’t removable and will need to be taken care of. You should continue to brush your teeth twice a day and floss at least once. We also recommend that you avoid biting on or chewing hard food and objects.
We’d be glad to explain more differences between them to you and answer all of your questions. Just call or visit us at our dental office in Salem, MA.