You may have missing teeth due to reasons like old age, tooth decay or dental trauma. No matter the reason for your tooth loss, it’s essential to replace it as soon as possible. Missing teeth can cause many severe complications and will ruin the shine and beauty of your smile over time. Furthermore, missing teeth will impact your self-confidence and make it lower than usual, affecting all your relationships. Fortunately, there are practical methods to replace missing teeth and be confident and happy with your smile again. Patients at Golden Mile Dental are always receiving the best tooth replacement services to restore their brilliant smiles, thanks to our experienced dentists. Among all the options you have to replace your teeth, partial dentures and tooth bridges are amazingly popular. In both cases, they aim to replace missing teeth, so how are they different from each other? Both partial dentures and tooth bridges can restore and replace one or multiple teeth in the best way possible, but they are still significantly different. In today’s blog, we will discuss these popular cosmetic dental procedures and how they differ.
What Are Dental Bridges?
One of the most common tooth replacement options is tooth bridges that aren’t removable. Dental bridges can be made from different materials, including metal alloys, gold and porcelain. Typically, a dental bridge is a fixed dental appliance that can cover the space of missing teeth.
What Are Partial Dentures?
A choice for replacing missing teeth is partial dentures, which are removable appliances. They are an excellent option for replacing one or several missing teeth. But if you have lost an entire set of upper or lower teeth, you need to consider other options like full mouth dental implants or full dentures.
Do You Want a Permanent or Removable Option?
One of the biggest differences between partial dentures and dental bridges is the ability to move. Dental bridges are permanent, unlike partial dentures, which can be easily removed. Also, the cleaning routine will be different for each of them. Remember your oral hygiene is critical because both bridges and dentures can’t be affected by professional teeth whitening treatment or other at-home methods.
What about Durability?
It’s important to know how durable your partial denture or dental bridge is. Statistics show that partial dentures are much more durable and can last up to 15 years. Meanwhile, the lifespan of dental bridges is about 5 to 7 years. All dental replacement or even restoration options, like cosmetic veneers, can last longer if you maintain standard oral hygiene and visit your dentist once in a while for a checkup.
What Are Your Personal Preferences?
Your personal desires and oral condition are two practical factors in your decision-making process. You must have healthy teeth and gums before getting partial dentures or dental bridges. Many patients may need additional steps like gum graft surgery before the main procedure. Moreover, it’s necessary to take your dentist’s opinion into consideration above your personal preference and listen to their recommendations.
Consider your budget, lifestyle, needs and preferences to make the best decision and restore your shiny smile!