Living with tooth loss can be challenging. You may not be able to chew and enjoy your favorite foods comfortably. You might also feel self-conscious about the gaps in your smile, causing you to hide it from others.
The good news is that dental implants in Raleigh offer an excellent solution over other tooth replacements. Let's look at the benefits of choosing dental implants for your smile vs. other options like a bridge.
How Tooth Replacement Works
To understand tooth replacement's pros and cons, we must first discuss how each option works.
Dental Implants
A dental implant restores both your tooth and root. Our dentists carefully place the implant into your jawbone, where it fuses with it over time, creating support and stability for your new tooth, a porcelain crown.
The Pros of Tooth Implants
Dental implants are the only replacement option that restores both tooth and root. It's the closest thing to your natural tooth, a highly successful procedure with a 95 percent success rate.
Implants also offer excellent longevity since they can last a lifetime with the proper care. This can make them a better investment over an option that may need replacing in the future.
The Cons of Dental Implant
The downside of dental implants is that the procedure does require surgery to place the implant, and it takes three to six months for the implant to integrate with your bone fully. It's also a more significant investment upfront.
Dental Bridges
A bridge uses two crowns as anchors to support a prosthetic tooth in between. The crowns are secured by attaching them to healthy teeth. The bridge is made of durable and tooth-colored ceramic porcelain to restore function and aesthetics to your smile.
The Pros of a Bridge
A bridge doesn't require surgery for placement. It's also a fixed appliance, so there's no movement or slippage like a denture. It's typically less expensive than a dental implant and only takes two to three weeks to complete.
The Cons of Bridges
To anchor your bridge, our dentists have to alter two healthy teeth. A bridge may also need replacement in the future as it can wear and break down over time. It's also harder to brush and floss around a dental bridge.
Contact your team at Cameron Village Dentistry for more information about tooth replacement.