Dental implants and tooth crowns are used to replace missing teeth. There is a fundamental difference between the two processes, but the goal achieved is the same.
In dental implants, new teeth are attached to the jawbone, where as in tooth crowns, natural teeth are used for support.
You and your dentist can discuss your individual case and decide which option to opt for. However, this is a brief guide to understanding each process for yourself before you go to your dentist for a consultation.
Crowns and Fixed Bridges
Crowns are porcelain or ceramic prosthetic teeth that go over your existing teeth. At times crown are placed over a decayed tooth as part of a recovery procedure.
A fixed bridge is used to fill the gap when one or two teeth are missing. In order to achieve this, the good teeth surrounding the gap are grounded so that crowns are placed over them.
The two crowns placed are the opposite ends of the bridge, and the tooth or teeth replaced is the bridge. The bridge is then completely cemented onto the natural supporting tooth.
Benefits
- Provide more stability when chewing and speaking as compared to removable partial dentures
- Look very much like your own teeth
- Prevents rest of the teeth from shifting from their positions
- They aid in proper tooth alignment thus helping to preserve your bite
- Cleaned in the same way as natural teeth
Dental Implants
In a dental implant, a support is surgically placed into your jawbone. The support can either be a blade, screw or a titanium cylinder.
The support metals used during the process are compatible with your body and with time they are attached to the cells in your body.
A prosthetic tooth is placed onto the implant once the implant securely fuses to the bone.
Benefits
The advantages of dental implants over crowns and bridges are:
- They do not shift or slip like bridges and prevents neighboring teeth from shifting
- They allow you to chew and speak easily, giving you a natural teeth feel
- They do not require any teeth for support and thus no surrounding
- They maintains the bone where the tooth has been extracted
Other Considerations
Before proceeding with any procedure your dentist will keep your oral and general health into consideration. Not every person can have elective oral surgery or dental implants. Certain chronic illnesses, like diabetes, can slow down or interfere in the healing process, so can smoking. Smoking more than doubles the chances of an unsuccessful dental implant procedure.
You must have healthy gums to go for dental implants or crowns and bridges. Dental implants also need a strong foundation of bone in order to support the implant fixture.
If your dentist chooses either of the two procedures for you, your decision may be affected by out-of-expenses and personal preferences. There are numerous dentists across Pakistan who perform both procedures with expertise so make an appointment today.
