An implant-supported bridge is much like a traditional bridge. However, instead of being supported by dental crowns placed over the two adjacent teeth, the implant-supported bridge is secured and stabilized by small titanium posts that are surgically positioned in your jawbone. The number of posts necessary will depend on the length of the gap and the number of artificial teeth in the bridge.
A traditional bridge uses the teeth on both sides of the gap for support. An implant-supported bridge gets the support from two or more dental implants, leaving those adjacent teeth natural. A traditional bridge must use these natural teeth for support, so the natural teeth must be prepped to accept crowns, now subjecting them to increased stress which can be damaging. This is especially possible if the existing tooth, roots, or surrounding bone structure are compromised and in decline. A dental implant-supported bridge restores your missing teeth and avoids putting this additional stress on healthy teeth.
What are Implant-Supported Crowns and Bridges Made of?
An implant-supported bridge consists of several parts:
* The dental implant- Which is usually made of titanium, is surgically positioned in the upper or lower jawbone to function as an artificial root for the missing tooth.
* The abutment is an extension- It is attached to the implant with a screw and reaches the surface of your gum. This part connects the embedded implant to the crown or bridge.
* The restoration- The part that visually looks like a tooth, is the implant-supported crown or bridge. Using a color shade guide to match your natural teeth, it is fabricated in tooth-colored ceramics, porcelain, porcelain fused to metal, or composite resin. The crown or bridge is secured onto the abutment.
What is the Success Rate of Implant-Supported Crowns and Bridges?
If you are a healthy individual and practice good oral hygiene, your dental implants will exceed a success rate above 90-95 percent. Implants have now become the new gold standard for restorations. Good oral hygiene continues to be extremely important for the success of an implant-supported restoration. Even though the implant and the bridge will not decay, you still need to keep the area around them clean to prevent gum problems. Regular preventative dental exams scheduled every six months, especially for your dental implant maintenance, are important to monitor any inflammation that can damage the soft tissue and bone around the implant.
Just like your natural teeth, an implant restorative crown can wear and break. Life expectancy of two decades or more often depends on many factors, including your oral habits, like teeth grinding. If you suffer from this habit a night guard is necessary to protect your restoration.
Benefits of Implant Supported Bridges
The benefits are numerous. Here are a few:
* A permanent and fixed replacement that stays in your mouth.
* The bridge is easy to clean with a toothbrush, floss, and water picks.
* The implants will not decay.
* Implants never experience nerve problems or need root canals.
* The implants are much less likely to break than your natural teeth.
* Implants stimulate your jawbone maintaining integrity and density.
* The implants can exert as much chewing force as natural teeth.
* Implants deliver both chewing sensations and temperature changes.
Difference Between Implant Retained Overdenture and Implant Supported Overdenture