Things can turn bad to worse if you ignore tooth decay in its onset. Tooth decay occurs when bacteria spreads from the tooth pulp
to the surrounding areas or throughout the periodontal tissues which causes inflamed gums or even an abscess. In the long run,
tooth extraction may be considered and you’ll permanently lose your natural tooth. Fortunately, modern dentistry has solved that
problem if preventive measures fail. You won’t have to go through the rest of your without teeth which will lead to further
dental related problems.

Dental implants and bridges are two of the most common dental procedures that patients seek from their dentists when suffering
from tooth loss. While these are totally different procedures, they share the same goal of replacing missing teeth with natural-
looking false ones. Both can fill in the gap that the lost tooth has left, but before deciding which is best, it is best to learn
how the procedures are done first.

Implants and Bridges in a Nutshell

Dental bridges are formed across the gap of the missing tooth and are attached with the two teeth at either sides of the gap. The
purpose is to secure false teeth in the missing tooth area while making sure that they’re properly aligned with the natural
teeth. When teeth loss happens, some of the natural teeth near the gap may drift towards it which results to misalignment. While
they can effectively mimic natural teeth, dental bridges may not be the permanent solution that you’re looking for. Since making
permanent bridges take time, your dentist may advise you to wear temporary bridges. However, many unexpected things can happen
while you’re wearing them. Also, your permanent bridges may not fit as perfectly as you’d expect it to be.

On the other hand, dental implants are literally screwed onto your jaw bones to act like a tooth root that holds on permanently.
During the healing process, the bone actually fuses with the titanium screw attached to it, making the results more permanent.
When the healing takes place, it’s time to attach the abutment to the titanium screw and finally, a crown to finish the
procedure. While you need to wait for a week at most for bridges, dental implants may take even longer.

Aside from knowing how both procedures are done, it is also good to consider a few other things before finally making up your
mind.

Aesthetics and Perfect Fit

The goal of having a dental replacement is to make you look and feel good again. You can tell that you’ve got a good replacement
if other people can’t tell that you are wearing false teeth. The idea of having natural-looking false teeth is something that all
patients want to achieve when they decide to have either of the procedures done. After all, you only have two reasons for fixing
your teeth: to keep them healthy and to make them look presentable.