Implants vs. Bridges
Happy Valley, OR
 Keeping your mouth and your jaw healthy and functional should be an important part of your everyday life. Just think about all of the things that you could no longer do should you end up with serious oral issues. Speaking, eating, and even swallowing could all prove to be serious issues that you might be hard-pressed to overcome. Because of this, it is critical that you pay attention to your oral health, including your teeth, your mouth, and your gums. When you experience any abnormal issues, make sure you visit us as quickly as possible to see what the issue is and how it can be fixed. At Fusion Dental Specialists, we are proud to offer a wide variety of teeth replacement options should the worst happen and you find yourself with an extracted tooth to replace.
What is a dental implant?
A popular and common form of replacement tooth, dental implants are incredibly useful. A dental implant is a replacement tooth that is connected to a metal rod that is inserted into the empty socket where your tooth used to be. The implant eventually becomes part of your jawbone, and it functions just like a natural tooth. This is invaluable when it comes to doing everyday things like eating, drink, swallowing, and speaking without feeling hindered.
What is a dental bridge?
Another form of tooth replacement, a dental bridge is a device created to help serve as a literal bridge across the empty space created by the extraction of a tooth. Crowns are positioned onto each of the immediately surrounding teeth, and a replacement tooth is connected to the crowns. The two teeth with crowns serve to support the replacement tooth, which helps ensure that your smile remains natural looking.
Implants vs. Bridges
When it comes to pure functionality, dental implants have the clear advantage. While bridges work well to restore the appearance of a natural smile, the overall function of the replacement tooth is not quite as good as a dental implant which becomes part of your mouth, meaning that it really does function just like a natural tooth. This means that the implant will stay in place while you are eating and does not rely on your other teeth for support. This helps avoid putting additional and unnecessary strain on your remaining teeth.
Bridges are perhaps more affordable than implants in some situations, however, it is important to note that they are also significantly less natural in their functionality. A dental bridge places quite a bit of pressure on the two teeth supporting it, for example, which can easily lead to you needing to have more repairs done on those teeth in the future, particularly if they were not that strong to begin with.
To learn more about dental bridges and dental implants, please give us a call today at (503) 653-2299! At Fusion Dental Specialists, we are happy to answer your questions and help you determine what tooth replacement option is best suited to your needs.
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