Dental Bridge Experience

When it comes to the dental restoratives, it is always not easy to decide which option could be better for your health, aesthetics, financial part or time.

Teeth replacements have come a long way in the last 30 years. Missing or extracted teeth raise common concerns of infection, but the proper replacement is the key to a confident smile. Today, however, the questions you need to ask your dentist or prosthodontist are a bit different: What's the difference between a dental bridge vs. implant? Which treatment option is right for me? Very often the dental implant looks ideal, but numerous factors will need to be considered first, and there are a lot of pros and cons of doing dental implant. For same factors dental bridges could be a better solution.

A lot of people worried that the dental bridge will not last or that it will involve too much damage to surrounding teeth. There are also concerns about function: will you be able to chew with the bridge, or is it purely for aesthetics? Are bridges a reasonable solution?

Learn more about dental bridges from experience of others! All the answers are here:

“I had a bridge done to replace two molars and to fill a gap that would be permanent if not treated. When I first got the bridge I was very apprehensive about putting pressure on it and biting too hard. I was also worried about sensitivity. A year-and-a-half after the treatment I can say that it was a very good decision to get a bridge. An implant would have required me to get a bone chip placed in my gums where there was no bone density, wait five to seven months for that to heal in place, and then put the screw in and wait four months for the opportunity to put the tooth in. I am glad I didn't wait.”

posted by Parmanparman

“I was born without an adult molar. I got a bridge when I was 18. At the time, I was advised not to get an implant because I was replacing a missing molar -- a tooth that gets a lot of impact. The worry was that it might not last as long, and when it came out it would require a bigger and bigger whole to set it into my bone.

So, the bridge. It's lasted 20 years and is going strong. My dentist (who put it in) thinks it will last my lifetime.

It looks and feels like all my other teeth. I don't have to chew differently, or be careful with it, or anything. It doesn't wiggle or protrude or look weird. In fact, it's only different than my other teeth when I floss.”

posted by Houstonian

“I have a bridge for one of my front teeth. Broke it when I was a nipper and ever since had an abscess problem. I had a really bad infection, and when they tried to save the root they discovered the cause, a piece of metal dental tip had broken off (something like 15 years earlier) and was lodged behind the root.

Anyway, to cut a long story short, after a lot of work they found it wasn't possible to save the root, so I had two options. The better of the two was as you suggested, an implant, but the problem for me was that we didn't have enough time left for all the work to be carried out as would have taken around 6 months in all and I had to move from state. So the dentist went with the other option of a bridge.

My other front tooth had a chip which they always used to fill with white filling, but never lasted and used to stain over time. So what they did was ground that one down, and did the same with the tooth on the other side of the now missing tooth which I'd always had a very poorly made crown on. Think they can make a bridge with only one support but mine being the front tooth this worked far better and is now very strong and all 3 teeth look better than they have in years. I think a bridge is pretty good, pleased with mine anyway and my damaged teeth look far better now than they did in all the years since I smashed them back in school.”

posted by Tetlee

You can always find more stories like that, but the best solution is to ask your dentist what is the best option for you!