Bridges vs. Implants: Choosing What’s Best for Your Smile

Bridges and dental implants are both great options for replacing missing teeth, however, depending on your situation, you may be a better candidate for one versus the other.

What Is a Dental Bridge?

A bridge is a connection of three or more crowns.  Crowns are “caps” that fit over teeth much like a helmet you wear for football. With a bridge, we prep the teeth that we want to anchor it to, and those crowns are connected to a solid tooth that is suspended in the place of the missing tooth.

What Is a Dental Implant?

An implant is an artificial tooth root that’s made from titanium and is surgically placed in the jaw. After an integration period between the implant and bone, we’ll attach a crown to the implant.

Bridges vs. Implants

• To place a bridge, you need to have at least one tooth in front of and one behind the space that you’re wanting to fill in. Whereas Implants are freestanding.
• Both bridges and implants have the potential to last a very long time, but implants typically last much longer.
• Bridges are a quicker solution than implants. A bridge typically takes anywhere from 2-3 to complete. An implant can take as long as 6-8 months from start to finish. 

Find Out Which Tooth Replacement Option Is Right For You

No two smiles are alike, and that’s why we offer both of these treatments on an everyday basis. If you need help deciding which tooth replacement option is best for you, then call Nicole Barnett, DMD today.  Our team of experienced dental professionals will help you select the best option for your smile’s health.