Bridges and implants are two ways to replace your missing teeth. A bridge spans a space where one or more teeth have been lost in a dental arch.
The teeth on either end of the span are crowned and referred to as abutments. Bridges are false teeth that are anchored in place by neighbouring teeth.
The bridge is made up of of two crowns on the abutment (anchoring) teeth along with the false tooth (pontic) in the centre. Bridges are cemented to your natural teeth and are fixed in place.
Fixed bridges are applied by either placing crowns on the abutment teeth or by bonding the artificial teeth directly to the abutment teeth.
Dental implants are used to replace missing roots and support replacement teeth. Dental implants are used to support false teeth or a fixed bridge.
You must have healthy gums and bone (under your teeth) to support the implant. Your dentist (or oral surgeon) will put a small metal post into your jawbone.
Over time, the post will bond with the bone around it. The post (or implant) will act like an anchor to hold one or more false teeth in place.
