Your teeth should last throughout your lifetime, however, we know this isn’t always the case. For many years man has endeavored to find an ideal replacement for natural teeth. Tooth loss is a problem as it causes difficulty with eating and normal chewing function.
Missing teeth within the smile area can also have a significant effect on one’s appearance and confidence. Removable dentures, bridges, and implants are all common alternatives for missing teeth but what is the real difference between each of them?
Removable dentures
Also known as false teeth, dentures are removable and are one of the oldest forms of tooth replacement available to man. According to Wikipedia, the first dentures were found about 700 BC.
There are different types of dentures, full complete dentures are supported only by gum tissues while partial dentures are supported by a combination of gum tissues and natural teeth. Although removable dentures are very common, most denture wearers find removable dentures uncomfortable, and difficult to live with and would prefer a fixed alternative. Unlike natural teeth dentures move while eating and sometimes during speech.
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Bridges
Dental bridges are supported and joined to natural teeth. Unlike removable dentures, dental bridges are fixed, comfortable and secure. Dental bridges are more comfortable than removable dentures as they feel and function like natural teeth.
However, there are disadvantages to fixed bridges. The adjacent teeth are prepared in order to support the bridge, and this requires the removal/reduction of a uniform thickness of the tooth. This reduction in tooth material removes the protective layer of enamel and can lead to future problems. In some instances, it was shown that 50% of teeth prepared for bridge work required root canal treatment within 3 years after tooth preparation.
