Which is the best option for replacing missing teeth?
If you have missing teeth, there’s great news. You have more options than ever before. This means it’s easier and more affordable to find the best replacement option for you. Your dentist in Pennington NJ has three options to replace lost teeth.
Which option is best? That depends on a number of factors. When you visit Donna Vagnozzi-Bucci, DMD in Pennington New Jersey, we will evaluate your condition and present you with all relevant options. Dr. Vagnozzi-Bucci will help you evaluate the pros and cons of each option and choose which is best for you. She will never recommend unnecessary treatments and does her best to work within your budget.
Deciding whether you should go with dental implants or another alternative usually comes down to a few factors:
1. Cost
2. Treatment time
3. Health / oral condition
4. Personal preference
Comparing Options: Dental Implants vs. Dentures vs. Bridges
Dental Implants
Dental implants are quickly becoming the gold standard in tooth replacement because they:
- Look and feel the most like natural teeth
- Allow for full chewing function
- Provide long-term stability
- Integrate with living bone
- Can be used to replace one or more missing teeth
Dentures
If you are missing all of your teeth (or need to have all of your teeth replaced), you can choose either a traditional removable denture, or a dental implant supported overdenture.
Unlike removable dentures, an implant secured overdenture won’t move or shift. It will also provide full support and stability to help you regain complete and natural chewing function. Perhaps the greatest benefit is that dental implants help reduce bone loss, which occurs when there are missing teeth. Over time, the bone deteriorates and causes pre-mature aging, additional tooth loss, and other problems. Because the dental implant integrates with the living bone, it provides a stimulus to retain bone and promote a healthier, more stable facial structure.
Bridges
For nearly a century, dental bridges has been the standard treatment for the replacement of one or more teeth. Traditionally, a dental bridge is a three-unit restoration that requires filing down and placing dental crowns on two teeth – one on either side of the gap created by the missing tooth (or teeth).
While a dental bridge usually costs less than a dental implant, there are a number of disadvantages:
- Must be stabilized by adjacent teeth, which requires filing down otherwise healthy teeth
- Tooth decay is a common problem on crowned teeth or teeth adjacent to the bridge
- Root canal treatment may be necessary
- Less longevity of dental bridge compared to dental implant
As it turns out, over time, a dental implant is the most cost-effective tooth replacement option. Dental implants help to promote the health of neighboring teeth, as well as better bone and gum health. In general, dental implants also last longer and require less maintenance.
