When a patient presents with a missing tooth, we offer them three options: a removable denture, a bridge, or a dental implant.
The cheapest options are removable dentures and dental bridges.
1. Removable Dentures
What are the advantages of a removable denture?
Dentures are more economical than dental implants or bridges. You can use high-quality teeth which can make a denture look like a natural tooth. Therefore, meaning, it will improve the look of your smile. Modern dentures are more comfortable and look more like natural teeth than those made with previous technologies and poor-quality materials in the past.
What are the low downs of removable dentures?
Disadvantages of dentures are that there is a period where it takes time to get used to. Initially, they will feel strange in the mouth and may even cause a bit of soreness and excess saliva. You will feel as if sometimes there are certain letters which you can’t pronounce but you will adapt to this.
Another disadvantage is that you will have to learn how to eat with a denture. Chewing feels a bit different initially, but then you will adapt.
It is very important that dentures are cared for. They are very fragile if not handled properly. Dentures will eventually need adjustment or replacement as they wear out and as your mouth and jaw will change during the years.
2. Dental Bridges
Another option to replace a missing tooth is a dental bridge.
What are the advantages of dental bridges?
One of the main advantages of having a dental bridge is that it can look great aesthetically. By using high-quality materials, modern techniques, and high-quality technicians, you can make a bridge look like a tooth.
Another advantage is that a bridge is not removable. It is fixed in your mouth, so you don’t have to worry about taking it out to clean like a denture.
It is still very important to look after the bridge, and this is done with good oral hygiene but also seeing a hygienist regularly. Studies have shown that fixed bridges, like individual crowns, are very predictable and also last a long time if looked after properly.
Another advantage of having a dental bridge is that it requires a relatively quick procedure. For the majority of cases for a dental bridge, it can take 2 appointments from start to finish, which is a much quicker procedure than having an implant or a partial denture.
Dental bridges are sometimes known to be less invasive than dental implants, and sometimes when you require dental implants, you may require a bone graft if you don’t have enough bone. For anyone who can’t have implants due to inadequate bone or for medical reason, a dental bridge is a great fixed alternative.
What are the disadvantages of having a dental bridge?
Each case is different; but of course if you have adjacent teeth which have had no filings, and are known as virgin teeth, then of course it would be highly destructive to cut them down for a dental bridge.
Not all types of bridges are destructive. For example, resin-retained bridges or composite bridges are much more conservative though not as predictable and long-lasting than a fixed bridge.
Another disadvantage of having a bridge is that when a tooth is prepared for a full crown as a part of a bridge, there is a risk that that tooth may require a root canal treatment in the future if the nerve dies.
Another disadvantage is that you have to adapt your cleaning habits around a bridge. Since the fake tooth is joined to the teeth either side, it is not possible to use floss in between the teeth. Therefore, you may have to use something called superfloss underneath the bridge to keep it clean regularly.
To learn what would be the best and the cheapest option for your specific case, give us a call on 01509 323420 to book your free initial consultation.