Is there a better way than Bridge? – From John B
My teeth 24 & 25 were found to have something attacking the bottom of the roots. My dentist recommends extraction & a bridge from tooth 22 to 27. Is there a better way?
Response from Dr. Devoll
John I am sorry you are having this problem. If I understand correctly there is a serious problem with your 2 front teeth in your bottom jaw (the 2 teeth in the middle). It sounds like they will need to be extracted and you would like to know if there is an option better than a dental bridge to replace those 2 teeth.
In the situation you describe, we often times will extract the 2 teeth and place 1 dental implant. The space left by those particular teeth is usually so small that 1 implant is more than adequate to carry the load of both teeth.
I typically do not recommend dental bridges because they are destructive for the teeth to which they attach. There is a very short video that you can watch that compares dental implants with dental bridges. You can find the video at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFeMnAT5nI0
Another option would be a removable partial denture. Most people find that removable partial dentures are uncomfortable and not easy to chew with. We would be happy to see you in person and give you a more definitive answer based on your particular situation. Please give us a call and we will get you scheduled for an evaluation. Of # 281-338-1760.