Dental implants provide an option to replace a missing tooth or teeth without damaging the adjacent teeth, restoring functionality, preventing bone loss and eliminating the need for dentures. Implants replicate natural teeth very well, however we often get asked about the alternatives. Below we’ve included the advantages and disadvantages of these alternatives to help you make your decision.
1. No Treatment
- Disadvantages:
- Functional and aesthetic compromise
- Drifting/tilting movement and/or over-eruption of neighbouring and opposing teeth
2. Removable Cast Cobalt Chromium Partial Denture
- Advantages:
- Low cost, conservative
- Disadvantages:
- Aesthetic compromise (denture retainers)
- Bulky appliance
- Removable appliance
- Unstable appliance
- Continued resorption of jaw bone in edentulous space
3. Fixed Bridge Replacing the Missing Tooth Supported by Adjacent Teeth:
- Advantages:
- Can be completed in 4 to 5 weeks
- Comfort
- Disadvantages:
- Need to prepare adjacent teeth for support
- Gum recession will lead to aesthetic compromise in the future
- Irreversible procedure
- Continued resorption of jaw bone in edentulous space
4. All-Ceramic or Porcelain Bonded to Gold Crown Supported by an Osseointegrated Implant:
- Advantages:
- Does not involve other sound teeth
- Strength of restoration
- Retrievable
- No decay problem
- Preservation of jaw bone at Implant site
- Disadvantages:
- Need for surgery
- Takes 3 to 12 months
Book a consultation with one of our experienced cosmetic dentists to learn more about what option is best for you, or you can find out more about dental implants here.
Call us on (02) 9488 7676 or fill out our enquiry form.