Modern dental bridges and dentures offer highly comfortable and lifelike results for patients who’ve lost teeth. However, even people who are perfectly happy with their traditional prostheses may benefit from considering the addition of dental implants. Made to mimic healthy, natural teeth roots, dental implants help tooth loss patients in Santa Rosa, CA, enjoy significantly more benefits, including the improved stability that comes with anchoring your bridge or denture in place.
The difference for a dental bridge
A dental bridge is often designed to replace a lost tooth or multiple adjacent teeth. It’s made of one or more replacement teeth (called pontics) and dental crowns that are bonded to nearby teeth, or abutment teeth. By contrast, dental implants can offer more lifelike support for your pontic or pontics without relying on the support of your healthy remaining teeth. If you’ve only lost a single tooth, then your dental implant can be topped by a lifelike crown to create a complete, root-and-crown replacement for it.
How implant dentures work
For patients with more severe tooth loss who rely on a denture to rebuild their smiles, a series of dental implants (usually, up to 4-6 posts) can be used to support the prosthesis. Because each dental implant post is designed and placed in a way to absorb a maximum amount of bite pressure, you won’t need an implant for every tooth you’ve lost. Yet, because of their support and the stimulation they provide your jawbone, a few strategically placed implants can offer more than enough support for a complete denture.
Why upgrading is a good idea
After having worn a lifelike bridge or denture for years now, it may not seem obvious why upgrading to dental implants is a good idea. The truth, though, is that even a currently comfortable bridge or denture can only do so much for your smile. Without the help of dental implants, the loss of your teeth roots can cause your jawbone to erode and shrink, leading to increased risks of losing more teeth in the future.
Learn if implants can improve your prosthesis
Even if you’re still content with your traditional dental bridge or denture, your smile can still appreciate the advanced support that dental implants can offer it. For more information about the many different benefits of dental implants, schedule a consultation by calling Santa Rosa Oral Surgery in Santa Rosa, CA, today at 707-545-4625.