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Missing a tooth can change how you eat, speak, and smile. It can also lead to long-term issues like shifting teeth and jawbone loss.
When you lose a tooth, the surrounding teeth can drift out of place, which alters your bite and makes cleaning more difficult. Finding the right replacement is essential for keeping your mouth healthy and functional.
At The Center for High Tech Dentistry in New York, New York, Dr. Kaveh Abedini, DMD, and Dr. Simon W. Rosenberg, DMD, help patients restore their smiles with advanced restorative care.
Whether you need a single tooth replaced or a full mouth restoration, we design a treatment plan tailored to your unique needs. Our team uses state-of-the-art technology, such as CBCT imaging, CEREC®, and guided surgical implant placement, to ensure your treatment is precise, comfortable, and highly effective.
The key differences between implants and bridges
When it comes to replacing missing teeth, two common options are dental implants and dental bridges. Both treatments restore your smile, but they work in different ways. Understanding how each option interacts with your jaw and remaining teeth will help you make an informed decision.
Dental bridges
Dental bridges use crowns on the teeth adjacent to the gap to support an artificial tooth. While bridges are a reliable and quick solution, they do not preserve the jawbone like implants do. Bridges can be a reliable choice, especially for patients who want a nonsurgical option, need a faster treatment timeline, or aren’t candidates for implants.
Additionally, the Cleveland Clinic (2023) notes that with good care, dental implants can often last for many years and may last a lifetime, though the crown attached to the implant may eventually need replacement. Bridges also last for years, but they may need repair or replacement over time.
Dental implants
Dental implants are titanium posts surgically placed into your jawbone, where they act as artificial tooth roots. During a process called osseointegration, the jawbone grows around the implant, creating a strong foundation for the replacement tooth. Once the post heals, we attach a custom crown to complete your smile.
Implants require a healthy jawbone and a longer healing time, but they leave your surrounding healthy teeth untouched. Bridges can be completed much faster and don’t require surgery, but we must reshape the healthy teeth on either side of the gap to support the bridge. This reshaping process removes healthy enamel, which is a permanent change to those supporting teeth.
Which option is right for your smile?
The right choice depends on your oral health, your budget, and your personal goals. If you have enough healthy jawbone and want a tooth replacement that doesn’t involve reshaping neighboring teeth, an implant may be a strong option.
If you prefer a nonsurgical treatment with a faster turnaround, a bridge might be the ideal path forward. During your consultation, we evaluate your oral health, jawbone support, neighboring teeth, budget, timeline, and personal goals to recommend an option that fits your needs.
If you’re missing one or more teeth, Kaveh Abedini, DMD, Simon W. Rosenberg, DMD, and the team at The Center for High Tech Dentistry can help you compare dental implants, bridges, and other restorative options. Call our New York City office to schedule a consultation with our experienced team today.