There’s more than one way to bridge the gap left in your smile by one or more missing teeth. Traditional dental bridges have long offered patients an effective means for restoring their mouths’ beauty and function after losing a tooth, or several teeth in a row. However, advancements in the art of tooth replacement have revolutionized the modern dental bridge with the addition of dental implants, or prosthetic tooth roots. Your Park Ridge implant dentists, Dr. Maria and Dr. Thanasi Loukas, compare a conventional dental bridge to an innovative implant bridge to explain the benefits of opting for dental implants.
A Conventional Dental Bridge
As the name suggests, a dental bridge is designed to bridge the gap left in your smile by one or several adjacent missing teeth. Traditionally, a bridge consists of the appropriate number of replacement teeth situated between two dental crowns, which are bonded to the remaining teeth that border the gap (called abutment teeth). While conventional dental bridges are effective, Dr. Patel prefers not to disturb remaining healthy tooth structure in the quest to replace one or more lost teeth. Through the use of dental implants, that goal has never been easier.
A Dental Implant Bridge
A dental implant-supported bridge, or implant bridge, shares the philosophy of expertly replacing lost teeth, but with one difference; instead of relying on surrounding teeth for support, an implant bridge takes a page from your natural smile and replaces the lost roots. Dental implants are surgically inserted into your jawbone, and once healed, can be used to anchor your dental bridge with the security of natural teeth and their roots. Replacing lost roots with dental implants can also help restore the stimulation of your tooth roots when you bite and chew. This stimulation tells your body how many teeth your jawbone must support, and your body sends an appropriate amount of nutrients to sustain your jaw and teeth.
Dental Implant Bridges from Your Park Ridge Implant Dentists
If you’ve lost one or more teeth and would like to learn more about your best options for replacing them, or if you’d like to upgrade your current dental bridge to a new and improved implant bridge, then schedule an appointment with your Park Ridge implant dentists by calling Loukas General Dentistry at (847) 696-1919. Located in the 60068 area, we proudly serve patients from Park Ridge and the surrounding Chicago communities.