Making A Sound Choice Between Dental Crowns Bridges or Implants.

Bridges, crowns, and implants as cosmetic options have some critical factors in common. And unlike dentures, they are permanent dental solutions fixed to your teeth or jaw and can only be removed by a dentist. They each present unique benefits and require specific considerations as well, meaning picking the best one would depend on your specific circumstances in collaboration with your dentist.

Dr. Mitchell Chang is a dentist in Omaha who is highly versed in cosmetic surgery and is readily available if you need dental crowns, bridges, or implants near you.

What Are Dental Crowns?

Dental crowns are hollow prosthetic teeth, usually made of porcelain or ceramics, placed over an existing tooth used to protect a vulnerable or damaged tooth, particularly if that tooth has fractured. Crowns are also used cosmetically to cover teeth that are discolored or misshaped, and crowns are applied by reducing the size of the existing tooth via filing away the outer enamel and some of the underlying dentin so that the crown can be placed over the top of it.

What Are Dental Bridges?

These are false teeth suspended between crowns to replace a missing tooth or teeth and, unlike crowns and implants, feature at least one artificial tooth not anchored either to a tooth or the jaw. Bridges are typically a row of three or more teeth built as a single piece. The center teeth (called pontics) in the bridge span a gap in your smile and are held in place by fixing the ends to existing teeth or implants like crowns.

What are dental implants?

Dental implants differ from crowns and bridges in that they are not fixed to existing teeth. Dental implants are fixed to a titanium post that is surgically positioned into the jawbone. This makes implants remarkably durable and secure, however much more expensive. The procedure to implement dental implants is more surgically invasive but will only be necessary once if you practice good oral hygiene.

How To Make The Best Decision For You

Your dentist will liaise with you to make a cosmetic decision, based on some factors like:

• Number of Missing Teeth

If you miss many teeth in a series or all of your teeth, get knocked out, getting an implant for each of them would be impractical. Hence, dentures would be your best pick. But if you are missing 3 to 4 teeth in a row, a dental bridge would most effectively serve the purpose here. However, if you have one or two teeth missing from different parts of your smile, you may fill the gap with an implant.

• Cost

The cheapest option is getting dentures, as a low-cost denture would cost around $300 to $500 per denture. If the plan is to get a complete set of dentures (upper and lower), it would cost no more than $1000. In comparison, a bridge with one pontic and two crowns would cost between $2,000 and $5,000, and the estimated cost of getting a single dental implant is $3,000 to $4,500.

• Experience

Implants are the closest to the natural teeth and offer the best experience. They cause no harm to natural teeth, gums, or bones. On the other hand, dentures can cause mouth sores, bone loss, receding gums, and alteration in the face frame. Embarrassing clicking noises, difficulty in eating and talking, and sliding are common complaints of denture wearers. Dentures can break easily. Although bridges are a better option than dentures, they need regular maintenance to prevent gum diseases. The surface under the bridge needs to be cleaned daily.

• Replacement

Dentures may last up to 7 years if proper care is taken, after which a new set of dentures will be made for you. Similarly, a dental bridge needs to be replaced after ten years. Implants offer a permanent solution and do not need replacement. Hence, implants may be the most expensive, but the cost of replacement is zero. This makes them cheaper in the long run.

If you would like to know more about these options, we invite you to schedule an appointment with our emergency dentist here in Omaha today.