Dental Implant vs. Bridge: Which Is Right for You in Woodstock?

When you're missing a tooth, or about to lose one, the choice usually comes down to a dental implant vs. a bridge. Both give you a fixed tooth that stays put, looks natural and lets you chew comfortably. They get there in different ways, and the right one for you depends on your jawbone, the teeth beside the gap, your budget and how you want your smile to hold up. This guide walks through how the two compare and how we help you decide at Towne Lake Family Dentistry in Woodstock, GA.

What's the difference between a dental implant and a bridge?

A dental implant replaces the whole tooth, root included. A bridge fills the gap by anchoring a replacement tooth to the teeth on either side of it.

An implant is a small titanium post placed in your jawbone where the root used to be. Once the bone heals around it, we place a crown on top, and that crown is the tooth you see. Mayo Clinic's overview of dental implant surgery walks through each stage.

A bridge is a false tooth held in place by crowns on the neighboring teeth. It's cemented in, so you never take it out, and it involves no surgery. As the ADA's MouthHealthy guide to bridges explains, the teeth on each side are prepared to hold those crowns. Our dental bridges page shows how we approach them.

Is an implant or a bridge better for replacing one tooth?

For a single missing tooth, an implant is usually the first option we talk through, because it stands on its own and leaves the teeth next to it untouched. A bridge can be the better fit when the teeth beside the gap already need crowns, when there isn't enough bone for an implant, or when you'd prefer to skip surgery.

A side-by-side look at the two:

• Your neighboring teeth: an implant leaves them alone, while a bridge needs the teeth on each side shaped for crowns.
• Surgery: an implant is placed surgically, and a bridge needs no surgery.
• Time: a bridge takes fewer visits. An implant takes months from start to finish, because the bone heals around the post before the crown goes on.
• Bone: an implant needs enough healthy jawbone to hold it. If the bone is thin, a bone graft may come first.
• Daily care: both need brushing, flossing and regular checkups to stay healthy, as MouthHealthy's dental implant guide notes.

On candidacy, Dr. Ray Morgan is direct: "we want to make sure that you have plenty of bone to hold the implant in because that's pretty key." A full exam with imaging shows us whether that's true for you. You can read more about dental implants at Towne Lake Family Dentistry.

What is a cheaper alternative to implants?

A bridge is the alternative most patients weigh against an implant, and which one costs less for you depends on your mouth. We go over the cost of each option with you before you decide, so you're comparing the numbers for your own situation.

A few factors shape the price of either one:

• How many teeth you're replacing
• Whether you need a bone graft before an implant
• How many teeth a bridge would anchor to, and whether those teeth need other work first
• What your insurance covers

We're a mostly out-of-network practice by choice, and most PPO plans still cover a portion of treatment out of network. We also offer payment plans through CareCredit, Cherry and Sunbit, plus an In-Office Savings Program with a Plus add-on that discounts implants, crowns and bridges. Our finances and insurance page lays it all out, and our guide to dental implant cost goes deeper on the implant side.

Why do Woodstock patients choose Towne Lake Family Dentistry for a missing tooth?

Dr. Ray Morgan talks every patient who's missing a tooth through why replacing it matters for chewing, for keeping the other teeth from shifting and for the jaw joint that does the work. He explains it without pressure. In his words, "we just want to inform them as to why."

Dr. Morgan often explains the jaw joint by comparing it to your elbows: "You can move one elbow and not the other. Can't move this side without that side." Your back teeth are what stop your jaw when you bite down. When they're missing, he explains, the muscles keep pulling and the joint takes more strain.

Dr. Morgan almost became an architect, and that design eye shows up in every restoration he plans. Your adult new patient visit runs 2 hours and includes a full set of x-rays or 3D imaging. We explain every recommendation with photos, x-rays and plain language, so you can see the gap and the bone around it for yourself.

Do I need to replace a tooth I've been missing for years?

Often, yes, even if the gap hasn't caused problems so far. Teeth next to a gap can drift over time, which changes how your bite fits together.

If you've had a gap for years without trouble, Dr. Morgan's answer is straightforward: "just because you've been missing the teeth for a while doesn't mean that you don't need them now." He also points out that chewing well matters more as you get older, because good nutrition depends on it.

Missing a tooth and weighing your options? Call our Woodstock dental office at 770-591-7929 or request an appointment online, and we'll look at the gap with you and lay out both options.

Published by Towne Lake Family Dentistry.