Dental Bridges or Partials Dentures: What is Right for You?
What Are Dental Bridges?
They are oral appliances featuring dental crowns and an artificial tooth for replacing missing teeth. Dental bridges are typically made for replacing single missing teeth. However, a dentist near you can customize your bridgework to replace up to 3 missing teeth in a row. As such, the dental bridge would entail two dental crowns and three artificial teeth.
The process of getting dental bridges will be different for each individual, depending on the type of bridgework and their preferred materials. The preparation process is usually for the pontic, the artificial replacement tooth, to ensure it fits perfectly within the space of the missing natural tooth. Besides that, the dentist must also prepare the adjacent teeth’ enamels to hold the dental crowns of the bridgework in place.
Advantages of Dental Bridges
- They are suitable for replacing one missing tooth at a time. Dentures can only replace multiple missing teeth in a row.
- They are stable and secure – dental bridges cannot easily slip from your mouth. During installation, your dentist will use dental cement to adhere the bridgework to your teeth enamels. If you want to remove your dental bridge, you need the assistance of your dentist.
What Are Partial Dentures?
Partials dentures are prosthetics that replace a portion of your lost teeth, allowing you to retain the remaining teeth. Typically, to get a denture, you would need to be toothless. It means your dentist would remove the remaining natural teeth before placing dentures. However, partial dentures near you allow you to retain your healthy, natural teeth. The dentist will only replace the missing teeth.
The process of getting partial dentures is usually straightforward. When you visit your dentist 94523, the only requirement is to pick a denture that closest matches the natural features of your smile. It entails the color of your gums and natural teeth. However, if you want the dentures to be permanent, your dentist would need to perform a different procedure to install dental implants. The implants in your jawbone will then be the foundation for affixing the partial dentures, realizing a permanent solution.
Advantages of Partial Dentures
- You get to keep your remaining natural teeth intact.
- Partials replace more missing teeth in a row than dental bridges. Ideally, for subsequent multiple missing teeth, partials are the better option.
- Partial dentures in Pleasant Hill do not rely on reinforcement or support from adjacent teeth. It means that your dentist does not need to prepare the enamel of adjacent teeth before installing partials.
Choosing Between Dental Bridges and Partial Dentures
When it is time for your treatment to replace your lost teeth, you may easily get overwhelmed by the different choices available. Fortunately, our dental team at Grafton Dental is always on standby to help patients with decision-making to benefit their oral health. The choice between dental bridges and dentures should depend on several factors, including the following:
- The number of teeth you have lost – if you have more than three missing teeth in a row, partial dentures would work better than dental bridges.
- Urgency – how long would you be willing to go without teeth before your treatment? Patients that urgently need to replace their teeth benefit from immediate partials, so they do not go without teeth even for a day. Besides, dental bridges would require about two visits to complete the installation procedure.
- Preferences – conservative patients do not have similar preferences as the rest of the patients. If you prefer the least invasive procedure for replacing teeth, partial dentures would be more favorable than dental bridgework.
- Optimize functionality – the ultimate goal of replacing lost teeth is to restore the functionality of your mouth. The ability to chew, speak, and eat properly depends on the teeth you have. Choosing between dental bridges and dentures should favor the oral appliance that benefits your mouth’s functionality the best.
- Dentist’s recommendation – other than your underlying needs and preferences, it is crucial that you pay attention to your dentist’s guidance. Their determination of the most suitable tooth replacement solution will have many other factors in consideration, including the health of your gums and jawbone.