South Carolina Dental Implants
A dental implant is a replacement tooth root that is embedded in the
jaw. A crown or a bridge is attached to this root replacement.
Alternate ways of replacing a missing tooth are with a fixed bridge, or
with a removable appliance.
Advantages of a dental implant:
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The adjacent teeth do not
have to be ground down for crowns. As you can see in the diagram of a
dental bridge, the false tooth has to be suspended between two crowns.
If the teeth on either side don't need any dental work, it seems a
shame to grind them down this way. |
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A dental implant, once it
heals, is very comfortable and feels and acts just like your own
tooth. |
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There is no extra hardware
required in your mouth. |
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Other teeth aren't
subjected to the strain of having work attached to them. Bridges and
removable appliances can weaken the teeth they are attached to. |
Advantages of other options for replacing missing teeth.
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If the teeth on either side of the missing teeth need crowns anyway,
it is less expensive and maybe easier to do a dental bridge. |
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If there are several teeth missing, a removable appliance is the
least expensive way to replace them. However, you have to learn how to
put up with hardware in your mouth, and if you don't remove the
appliance and clean thoroughly after every time you eat, you can promote
decay on the teeth that the appliance attaches to. |
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Here is a diagram of an implant crown
replacing a tooth.
Here is a diagram of a dental bridge
replacing a tooth.
And here is a diagram of a removable partial
denture replacing several teeth.
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