Dental crown bridges and implants effectively replace missing teeth. But how do you choose between a crown bridge or a dental implant? Understanding the pros, cons, and costs helps you select the optimal tooth replacement option. This guide covers everything around crown bridges for restoring your smile functionality and aesthetics.
What are Crown Bridges?
Dental crown bridges (or fixed bridges) fill tooth gaps by cementing artificial replacement teeth to the teeth on either side. A typical three-unit bridge comprises a false middle tooth (pontic) fused between two supporting crowns placed over prepared natural teeth. These anchoring teeth must undergo reduction shaping to allow durable crown attachment for holding the bridge firmly in position.
Crown Bridge Benefits
Key advantages of bridges include:
- Preservation of healthy teeth
Unlike implants, bridges use existing teeth for support rather than further extractions. Though anchoring teeth do undergo reshaping procedures.
- Immediacy
Bridges provide same-day smiles following initial placement without waiting months for implants to fuse.
- Cost
Dental bridges have lower upfront costs than implants, especially when replacing several teeth.
- Simplicity
Crown bridges involve less complex placement procedures and shorter treatment times than integrating dental implants. However, higher long-term maintenance is often needed.
- Familiar sensations
As they transfer biting pressure across several teeth like natural ones, bridges feel more typical in the mouth than standalone crowns.
Considerations Around Crown Bridges
Some critical considerations around dental crown bridges include potential tooth integrity loss, gum disease risks, higher failure rates, and vulnerabilities to cement issues and staining over time. Healthy anchor teeth undergo reduction shaping procedures to properly fit crowns that attach the pontic replacement tooth/teeth in a bridge. This irreversibly removes the outer enamel structure for adhesive crown placement. Bridgework with multiple abutment crowns also increases vulnerability to future tooth decay and periodontal disease compared to an isolated crown or single implant site. Meticulous daily cleaning is imperative yet still leaves small interdental spaces prone to plaque accumulation if flossing is not diligent.
Moreover, compared to a single dental implant, bridges involve joining multiple anchoring points subject to cumulative loosening and additional exposed grouting at risk of complications. Consequently, bridges statistically tend to require more repairs and earlier replacement than an individual implant-supported crown, which mimics the durability of natural tooth roots. For regular alcohol drinkers, even higher risks exist of weakened cement bonds washing out or dental bridge abutment fractures. Furthermore, the extra cementation grooves also make crown bridge restorations more prone to staining over longer periods versus the more impervious porcelain of a solitary implant crown.
When to Choose Dental Implants Over Crown Bridges
Implants provide a preferable choice over bridges when:
- Teeth on either side don’t need crowns
- Insufficient bone remains to anchor a bridge
- Preserving undisrupted healthy teeth structure
- Seeking minimal invasive tooth replacement
- Desiring the most durable, low-maintenance solution
Though entailing a longer treatment pathway and greater cost, dental implants integrate bone-level tooth roots, avoiding the healthy tooth reduction needed for conventional bridgework. Their survival rates also exceed more complex bridges.
When choosing how best to replace missing teeth, consult experienced dentists like those at Carrum Downs Dental Group. Through comprehensive oral examination and diagnostic imaging, we gauge available bone, neighboring teeth’ health, and other aspects to recommend whether crown bridges, partial dentures, or dental implants present the optimal restoration pathway for your needs, budget, and oral health.
With various tooth replacement solutions at our disposal, schedule an obligation-free consultation to determine the most appropriate options for your smile.
Our dentist will walk you through the entire process as you restore your beautiful smile.
