Many people have lost at least one tooth, and while some might be happy to live with the gap, others will prefer to fill it as soon as possible. Replacing a missing tooth in Ajax as quickly as possible is better for your dental health. Losing even a single tooth can affect the health of your remaining teeth, allowing them to shift position, destabilizing them, and affecting your bite.
There are a couple of choices when it comes to replacing a single tooth. The most traditional option is a dental bridge, where crowns over the adjacent teeth support a pontic replacement tooth, resulting in a three-tooth structure. Dental bridges are strong, stable, relatively long-lasting, and can look pretty good. However, it is becoming more common for people to choose a single implant tooth in Whitby. A dental implant tooth has an artificial tooth root made from titanium or zirconia, a potent form of porcelain inserted directly into the jawbone. This supports the replacement implant crown. Both treatments have some pros and cons.
Dental Bridges
A dental bridge is quick to make, typically taking only a few weeks to complete. There is no need for oral surgery, and the upfront cost is usually slightly less than that of a single dental implant.
However, a dental bridge in Pickering must be replaced every ten years, although some may last longer. In addition, because your dentist needs to reshape the adjacent teeth for crowns substantially, these adjacent teeth are more prone to cavities and tooth decay as the crowns age and leak. Most importantly, once healthy tooth structure is removed from these teeth, it can only be replaced artificially, so once these teeth have crowns, they will always need dental crowns.
Dental Implants
Dental implants take longer to plan and place, but they are a long-lasting solution. If you care for them properly, you should enjoy the benefits of your dental implant tooth for years to come, hopefully even for life. In addition, they can look more natural than a dental bridge tooth because the implant tooth is surrounded by gum and emerges from it, just like a natural tooth. In comparison, a bridge tooth sits on the gum. Over time, the bone underneath the bridge tooth can begin to recede as it resorbs, so the bridge tooth or pontic no longer sits so snugly on the gum.
Another significant benefit of having a dental implant tooth is that only the missing tooth is involved in treatment. The dental implant doesn’t impact the adjacent teeth but protects them, preventing them from moving out of place. However, the most significant benefit of having a dental implant tooth is the protective effect on your jawbone. Instead of resorbing over time, the implant post provides the stimulation to keep your jawbone strong and healthy.
The cost of having a dental implant in Oshawa is slightly higher than a dental bridge initially, but it can be more cost-effective in the long term. This is because you will likely replace a dental bridge more frequently than a dental implant. When the time comes, you will need to replace a three-tooth bridge compared with just a single implant crown.
Choosing the Best Option
Regarding your dental health in Newcastle, you want to make the best choice for your needs. So when you see our dental implant dentist here at Durham Dental Solutions, we can assess your current dental and medical health and discuss all possible treatments in greater detail.
