Dental Implants | Cosmetic Dental Care
A Comparison: Dental Implants Vs Bridges
Here is a simple comparison between the dental implants and bridges which will give a better understanding to the people regarding the treatment procedures.
The dental implants will involve the process of placing implants where teeth replacement has to be done. It does not need any other alteration in the adjacent tooth. However, bridges are used to connect 2 teeth and there is no pressure applied on it. This is a great disadvantage as the jaw bones will start shrinking.
Dental implants will no way affect the oral health. It will be a pleasant experience without any troubles. A bridge would require the cutting down of adjacent tooth to support the structure.
The implant procedure will offer a permanent solution having a life expectancy period of 25 years. However, bridges will have a life expectancy of about 10 years. The implants method will easily integrate with the bone and the connection established will be very strong in this case. The bridges are heavily relied upon the side forces on the adjacent teeth and on its structure. The bridges will still rely upon the structure of the nearby natural teeth which is again vulnerable to tooth decay and other infections.
Everyday dental care can be easily provided in case of dental implants. Flossing is not an easy task while bridges are used and it is quite complex procedure.
On seeing the above comparison, one could come to a simple conclusion that dental implants are always preferred as they have more advantages than having the bridges.
Q. Is it inevitable that all abutment screws will loosen and need to be tightened? I am being advised toward screw-retained crowns, as all abutments loosen eventually. Should I stop cement retention?
A. Unfortunately abutment screws won’t stay tight forever. However when used with cemented crowns they do possess certain advantages, for instance with numerous angulated implants or when lacking in vertical height. When the abutment becomes loose remove the crown and recement if possible. If this is a common occurrence there’s a chance the patient may be bruxing or experiencing a Para functional habit, in this case I would suggest a night guard.
Q. I have been placing implants successfully for the last ten years and have always used panoramic x-rays to prepare a treatment plan. I’ve been told CT scans are far more precise and produce a 3D image allowing for accurate preparation in more difficult cases. However they are a lot more costly, is it worth the extra cost?
A.Ct scans are the most innovative and highly developed X-ray technology for dental implant treatment. They present a 3-Dimensional image shown on computer with an implant preparation program. There are different packages on the market but inevitably they all provide the same information and reach the same target. The scan can also show visible reconstruction and you can measure different aspects such as bone density, height and width. It also allows you to locate anatomical sights like the mandibular nerve, and position virtual implants to demonstrate possible sizes and angles. However the amount of radiation exposure is greater from a CT scan in comparison to other X-ray technologies, therefore its most practical for planning complicated cases where sinus lifts or bone augmentation is needed. OPGs are the most frequently used X-rays when preparing for implants and are valuable for identifying anatomical sights, pathology, and preliminary information of bone density. However there is certain information an OPG just can’t provide that is needed for more difficult cases, like 3D imagery, and anatomical limitations for example maxillary sinus involvement, height and width of bone, buccolingual measurements, concavities and inferior alveolar nerve proximity.
The dental implants will involve the process of placing implants where teeth replacement has to be done. It does not need any other alteration in the adjacent tooth. However, bridges are used to connect 2 teeth and there is no pressure applied on it. This is a great disadvantage as the jaw bones will start shrinking.
Dental implants will no way affect the oral health. It will be a pleasant experience without any troubles. A bridge would require the cutting down of adjacent tooth to support the structure.
The implant procedure will offer a permanent solution having a life expectancy period of 25 years. However, bridges will have a life expectancy of about 10 years. The implants method will easily integrate with the bone and the connection established will be very strong in this case. The bridges are heavily relied upon the side forces on the adjacent teeth and on its structure. The bridges will still rely upon the structure of the nearby natural teeth which is again vulnerable to tooth decay and other infections.
Everyday dental care can be easily provided in case of dental implants. Flossing is not an easy task while bridges are used and it is quite complex procedure.
On seeing the above comparison, one could come to a simple conclusion that dental implants are always preferred as they have more advantages than having the bridges.
Q. Is it inevitable that all abutment screws will loosen and need to be tightened? I am being advised toward screw-retained crowns, as all abutments loosen eventually. Should I stop cement retention?
A. Unfortunately abutment screws won’t stay tight forever. However when used with cemented crowns they do possess certain advantages, for instance with numerous angulated implants or when lacking in vertical height. When the abutment becomes loose remove the crown and recement if possible. If this is a common occurrence there’s a chance the patient may be bruxing or experiencing a Para functional habit, in this case I would suggest a night guard.
Q. I have been placing implants successfully for the last ten years and have always used panoramic x-rays to prepare a treatment plan. I’ve been told CT scans are far more precise and produce a 3D image allowing for accurate preparation in more difficult cases. However they are a lot more costly, is it worth the extra cost?
A.Ct scans are the most innovative and highly developed X-ray technology for dental implant treatment. They present a 3-Dimensional image shown on computer with an implant preparation program. There are different packages on the market but inevitably they all provide the same information and reach the same target. The scan can also show visible reconstruction and you can measure different aspects such as bone density, height and width. It also allows you to locate anatomical sights like the mandibular nerve, and position virtual implants to demonstrate possible sizes and angles. However the amount of radiation exposure is greater from a CT scan in comparison to other X-ray technologies, therefore its most practical for planning complicated cases where sinus lifts or bone augmentation is needed. OPGs are the most frequently used X-rays when preparing for implants and are valuable for identifying anatomical sights, pathology, and preliminary information of bone density. However there is certain information an OPG just can’t provide that is needed for more difficult cases, like 3D imagery, and anatomical limitations for example maxillary sinus involvement, height and width of bone, buccolingual measurements, concavities and inferior alveolar nerve proximity.
