Dental Implants vs. Bridges: What’s Best for You

A smile is worth a thousand words. So your confidence can take a hit when you lose a tooth or several teeth.

There are two popular solutions to replace your smile: dental implants and dental bridges. You should look closely at both options to see which is best for your needs.

Dental Implants

A dental implant uses a metal post as the “root” to replace the lost tooth. A few months after the insertion, the bone around the implant will regrow. Once it’s secure, the dentist puts a crown on top of the implant.

The dental implant cost Rockaway Beach NY can be high, but the results can last a lifetime. Dental implants promote healing for your jawbone and gums and have less impact on the other teeth surrounding them.

Dental Bridge

If several teeth need replacing, the dentist may recommend a dental bridge instead of an implant. The dental bridge is an economical way to replace missing teeth.

A dental bridge is placed onto existing healthy teeth and creates a bridge over the missing teeth gap. There are several types of bridges that differ mainly on how they attach to the existing teeth.

The disadvantage is the strain they put on the surrounding healthy teeth. They also don’t solve the underlying issues of bone loss. It’s like putting a mask over a flaw without helping fix the defect.

Insurance companies are most likely to cover bridges over implants because of the high cost of implants. Your dentist can get a pre-authorization from your insurance company on what they will cover and how much they will pay toward each procedure.

In deciding whether to get a dental implant or bridge, talk to your dentist about what might be best for you. The additional cost of an implant could be worth it if you don’t have to worry about fixing the teeth again in the future.