Dental implants are thought to be the best solution when your original tooth needs a replacement. This is ideal if only one tooth needs a replacement.
Usually, if you have one missing tooth, the ultimate solutions was a three-unit bridge or three-tooth bridge. This works by creating abutment teeth and an artificial tooth in between replacing the missing tooth. Abutment teeth are artificial crowns on top of the two adjacent teeth used as anchors The artificial teeth are called pontics. Pontics can be made from porcelain, gold or alloy. Although it was thought of as the best solution, it had its disadvantages.
The abutment teeth needs to be reduced to make room for the crown to be placed over them. And these three teeth need special care because unlike the other teeth, they are joined together. You need to have special dental cleaning tools just for these three teeth. They cannot be brushed just like the other normal teeth.
Today, when someone misses a tooth, the most suggested solution is a dental implant. If you have one missing tooth, an implant is planted in the jawbone, replacing the missing tooth. It can replace the root and the crown. This is called a single-tooth implant. What’s great about implants is that they look and feel like natural teeth. They can also be cleaned like you would a normal tooth. No need to acquire dental tools just for that tooth. And it is also durable. They cannot be damaged by tooth decay. But it needs to be cleaned nonetheless so it won’t breed bacteria. With proper care, it can last a very long time.
Can a dental implant crown last a lifetime?
Dental crowns are durable and dental science is making even more effort to improve it. But you can’t expect it to last a lifetime. How long it lasts, depends on the owner and how it was cared for. Some dental crowns are expected to last 3-5 years. But some take very good care of it than it could last for 10-20 years. But if there are some who could make their implants last 10-20 years, there are some who could reduce this to two or three years. Again, it depends on the care of the patient. The durability of the implant is directly related to the care it gets.
It’s hard to determine whether an implant is expensive or not. It depends on the dental condition of each patient. No one can ascertain as to how long exactly an implant could last. But with proper dental care and regular dental check up, you are adding to the years of your implant.
Which is more cost-effective: dental implants or a three-tooth bridge?
A three-tooth bridge can range from $2,000 to $3,000. A single-tooth implant on the other hand costs about $3,000. If a tooth under the dental bridge is damaged due to gum problems or tooth decay, of course this will incur more charges. They might need to put more filling. When additional work is done on the foundation of the bridge, you will incur more dental restoration and replacement cost.
Sometimes a dental crown is frayed. In this case, you will need to have it reconstructed. But the work needed to be done will be limited to the dental crown or implant. You will not need to have the adjacent teeth fixed. Because of this, you will spend less than you will on a three-tooth bridge. Plus, it will look and feel more like your natural teeth.
