Dental innovation never stops. Dental bridges near you replace two or more adjacent missing teeth. You’re probably very familiar with bridges that are anchored to healthy natural teeth on each end of the gap. Those traditional dental bridges rely completely on the health of those natural teeth, which themselves need to be modified to receive the crown which typically acts as the anchor on each end of the bridge.
One of the downsides of traditional dental bridges is the extent to which they have to rely on those natural teeth, and to which those natural teeth need to be modified to play their role. Some patients are concerned about the risk that those teeth at either end of the gap are or will become too weak to act as supports for some reason, especially if material needs to be removed to accommodate a crown. Implant-supported dental bridges in NE Calgary offer a solution for those concerns. Implant-supported dental bridges do not need to be anchored to natural teeth. Instead, they’re planted firmly and permanently in your jaw with titanium implants.
The advantages of implant-supported dental bridges near you
There are at least three options for people looking to replace multiple adjacent teeth: partial dentures, dental bridges, and implant-supported dental bridges. There’s no doubt that a traditional dental bridge offers significant advantages over a removable partial denture. A traditional bridge does not need to be removed but is, in a perfect world, permanently placed alongside natural teeth to support abutment teeth in the former gap. Unfortunately, the real world is not always perfect. Daily eating and chewing places considerable strain on the bridge supporting the floating abutment teeth and the modified anchoring points — two hopefully healthy teeth.
Implant-supported bridges offer all the same advantages over a partial denture without any of the downsides of a traditional bridge. Those benefits include:
- A bridge at least as stable without any requirement to modify adjacent healthy teeth
- Implant-supported bridges last longer. One study has determined that up to 20% of traditional bridges fail within 10 years, compared to less than two percent of implant-supported bridges
- Traditional bridges do nothing to contribute to jaw health. On the other hand, titanium implants that anchor implant-supported bridges are biocompatible replacement roots that actually trigger new and healthy bone growth in your jaw
The three steps toward implant-supported dental bridges
Getting implant-supported dental bridges from a dentist in NE Calgary is a three-step process. The first step is an assessment. Your dentist will examine your jaw and mouth, take dental images, and review your medical and dental history. No medical or dental procedure or solution is right for any patient. The purpose of this assessment is to determine if implant supported bridges are right for you, and to identify any issues with bone density or need for tooth extractions.
The second step is implant surgery. A titanium post will be inserted into your jaw, typically one at each end of the gap to be bridged, though this will depend on the results of your assessment and how many teeth are being replaced.
After you have recovered fully from our implant surgery and your implants have completely bonded to your jaw, your dentist in NE Calgary will attach an abutment to that implant and begin preparing your permanent bridge restoration. That bridge and the replacement teeth supported by it will be designed to blend naturally and discreetly with your remaining natural teeth and your gums.
If you’re looking for a solution for the loss of multiple adjacent teeth, implant-supported dentures are a third option that offer all the benefits of the traditional choices without the drawbacks associated with them. To determine if implant-supported dental bridges in NE Calgary are right for you, contact a dentist near you to arrange an assessment.