I'm having a broken tooth removed on the top left side and having it replaced with an implant or a bridge. I have had a bridge on the the right side for decades with no problems but am looking into the implant option. Have you had any experience with either?
Dental Implant vs Bridge
- Thread starter Chet
- Start date
John cycling
Healthy Person
- Location
- Central Coast California
I would get a simple partial (flipper) for just that one tooth, never a bridge or an implant.
A bridge would severely damage the adjacent teeth, and an implant would damage your jaw.
Also I would find someone else to go to who is not so willing to harm you for their personal profit.
A bridge would severely damage the adjacent teeth, and an implant would damage your jaw.
Also I would find someone else to go to who is not so willing to harm you for their personal profit.
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People need to be careful when making a bridge vs implant decision - especially elderly people who may not have enough bone in their jaw.
Also, the failure rate for implants is higher for diabetics & there is a risk of infection for anyone. Implants are very invasive & costly, with no guarantee of success.
If a dentist pushes an implant, I'd leave. Many dentists push implants over a bridge because of the much-higher profit.
My experience I posted about in July 2019:
I had some decay under a tooth that was part of a bridge. The dentist immediately tried to sell me on an implant, ($6,000.00) instead of replacing the bridge ($3,000.00). He was quite determined to convince me to get an implant, telling me the bridge would definitely fail after a short time, then I'll need an implant, anyway. I said, "Well, this bridge has been OK for 16 years; & it didn't "fail," it only needs to be replaced to do a root canal under one of the support teeth, am I correct?"
He replied, "Well....yes....technically; but an implant would be better." I also mentioned (what he already knew), "I have diabetes; I read that diabetics should not have implants unless there are no other options, due to the higher risk of failure due to infection."
He replied, "Naw....that's pretty rare."
I said, "I'll do some more research & get back to you."
I contacted my previous (retired) dentist & asked if an implant would be a good idea for me & I also asked her why my dentist was trying so hard to convince me to get the implant.
She explained that the time & work involved with both an implant and a bridge is about the same, but the profit is double. And she also explained how drastic & invasive an implant procedure is - cutting open the gum, drilling the implant into the bone, sewing the gum flap closed, waiting 6 months for bone to grow into the implant, then re-cutting the gum flap & installing the crown. And the risk of infection is, indeed higher for diabetics - & of course, there is no guarantee with any patient.
Easy to see why "Dental Implant Centers" have sprung up everywhere - half-hour TV ads devoted to them.
I decided on the bridge & my dentist, at first, seemed OK with it, but after he was halfway through the drilling & grinding, he started again on his hard sell for the implant. At that point, I wanted to leave & change dentists, but I thought it wouldn't be a wise idea because the area was already exposed - ground down to very small posts, so I figured I wouldn't see him again after the bridge was completed.
After the permanent bridge was cemented, I got home & was eating a piece of toast (still partially numb). When I swallowed, I started choking; it felt like I was swallowing pieces of broken glass. I looked in my mouth & saw that there was a gap between my top & bottom molars on that side. The bridge was obviously too short & the dentist had to have seen that because he checked the fit several times before cementing it. Apparently, he wanted to teach me a lesson about not listening to him & getting the implant. And he likely thought I would then have him do the implant.
I filed a complaint with The Dental Board, sent them photos, & saw a different dentist to re-do the bridge. He asked me: "Who did that bridge?.....it's the worst I've ever seen in my 20 years." When I gave him the dentist's name, he later spoke to him. The original dentist called me & offered me a $3,000.00 refund & sign a release, which I accepted. I had to wait a year (chewing only on the right side) for the area to heal before replacing the bridge. My new dentist re-did the bridge & it's been fine for the past 14 years.
I'm not saying no one should ever get dental implants; in some cases, it's a good idea. But (as with any MD), do some research before you automatically follow their advice. And keep in mind that a dentist's advice is frequently profit motivated.
There's a reason we see TV ads for dental implants showing older people eating apples & corn on the cob. The agency paying for the ad is not going to show you the whole picture.
Also, the failure rate for implants is higher for diabetics & there is a risk of infection for anyone. Implants are very invasive & costly, with no guarantee of success.
If a dentist pushes an implant, I'd leave. Many dentists push implants over a bridge because of the much-higher profit.
My experience I posted about in July 2019:
I had some decay under a tooth that was part of a bridge. The dentist immediately tried to sell me on an implant, ($6,000.00) instead of replacing the bridge ($3,000.00). He was quite determined to convince me to get an implant, telling me the bridge would definitely fail after a short time, then I'll need an implant, anyway. I said, "Well, this bridge has been OK for 16 years; & it didn't "fail," it only needs to be replaced to do a root canal under one of the support teeth, am I correct?"
He replied, "Well....yes....technically; but an implant would be better." I also mentioned (what he already knew), "I have diabetes; I read that diabetics should not have implants unless there are no other options, due to the higher risk of failure due to infection."
He replied, "Naw....that's pretty rare."
I said, "I'll do some more research & get back to you."
I contacted my previous (retired) dentist & asked if an implant would be a good idea for me & I also asked her why my dentist was trying so hard to convince me to get the implant.
She explained that the time & work involved with both an implant and a bridge is about the same, but the profit is double. And she also explained how drastic & invasive an implant procedure is - cutting open the gum, drilling the implant into the bone, sewing the gum flap closed, waiting 6 months for bone to grow into the implant, then re-cutting the gum flap & installing the crown. And the risk of infection is, indeed higher for diabetics - & of course, there is no guarantee with any patient.
Easy to see why "Dental Implant Centers" have sprung up everywhere - half-hour TV ads devoted to them.
I decided on the bridge & my dentist, at first, seemed OK with it, but after he was halfway through the drilling & grinding, he started again on his hard sell for the implant. At that point, I wanted to leave & change dentists, but I thought it wouldn't be a wise idea because the area was already exposed - ground down to very small posts, so I figured I wouldn't see him again after the bridge was completed.
After the permanent bridge was cemented, I got home & was eating a piece of toast (still partially numb). When I swallowed, I started choking; it felt like I was swallowing pieces of broken glass. I looked in my mouth & saw that there was a gap between my top & bottom molars on that side. The bridge was obviously too short & the dentist had to have seen that because he checked the fit several times before cementing it. Apparently, he wanted to teach me a lesson about not listening to him & getting the implant. And he likely thought I would then have him do the implant.
I filed a complaint with The Dental Board, sent them photos, & saw a different dentist to re-do the bridge. He asked me: "Who did that bridge?.....it's the worst I've ever seen in my 20 years." When I gave him the dentist's name, he later spoke to him. The original dentist called me & offered me a $3,000.00 refund & sign a release, which I accepted. I had to wait a year (chewing only on the right side) for the area to heal before replacing the bridge. My new dentist re-did the bridge & it's been fine for the past 14 years.
I'm not saying no one should ever get dental implants; in some cases, it's a good idea. But (as with any MD), do some research before you automatically follow their advice. And keep in mind that a dentist's advice is frequently profit motivated.
There's a reason we see TV ads for dental implants showing older people eating apples & corn on the cob. The agency paying for the ad is not going to show you the whole picture.
dseag2
Dallas, TX
- Location
- Dallas, TX
I'm not saying it is for everyone, but my mother got an entire mouth of dental implants when she was in her late 60's and she never had any issues up until she passed at 89 y/o. She had beautiful teeth and could eat anything she wanted. I always teased her that after she passed I was going to sell her $32,000 worth of implants on the black market.
Implants are definitely justified for someone with no good teeth left & dentures would not work well.
But--just as with weight loss surgery--too many dentists recommend them to everyone because their only concern is profit.
Warrigal
SF VIP
- Location
- Sydney, Australia
I have not, but I have listened to my daughter who is the Director of Nursing for a facial/dental unit at a major Sydney hospital. They have 178 chairs and she sees all sorts of dental procedures and the consequences.
She tells me that there is a lot that can go wrong with implants from infections to bone decay. The clinic where she works see a lot of these situations because the damage is not treatable by the average dental practice.
This article talks about the problems.
Implant complications: multiple treatment modalities; few financial options | Dental Economics
I have three bridges for my upper teeth and I won't be considering implants when they fail.
I'll settle for a full denture.
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terry123
Well-known Member
- Location
- Houston, Tx.
I decided on a denture because I have no bone and $10,000.00 for one tooth is crazy. I checked with 4 dentists before making my choice.
I also have 3 bridges - one on top & two on bottom.
Aunt Bea
SF VIP
- Location
- Near Mount Pilot
I've had various partials over the years and the post teeth always wore down after a few years.
I eventually went with full dentures. I had a Hader bar installed to support the lower denture, what is known as a fixed overdenture, and that was great for approx. 25 years until the two roots that supported it started to deteriorate.
Now I have a full set of conventional dentures that are good but not great.
Implants were not a good option for me due to an insufficient amount of bone in my lower jaw.
Talk to your dentist about the options.
I would definitely consider a full upper denture and an implant-supported lower overdenture if that was an option.
Good luck with your decision.
I eventually went with full dentures. I had a Hader bar installed to support the lower denture, what is known as a fixed overdenture, and that was great for approx. 25 years until the two roots that supported it started to deteriorate.
Now I have a full set of conventional dentures that are good but not great.
Implants were not a good option for me due to an insufficient amount of bone in my lower jaw.
Talk to your dentist about the options.
I would definitely consider a full upper denture and an implant-supported lower overdenture if that was an option.
Good luck with your decision.
JaniceM
Well-known Member
- Location
- still lost between two shores..
Actually, implants are better than dentures in most cases, because they prevent bone loss and all the aggravations that can go along with it.
The "Bone Loss Prevention" is a selling point.
Everyone loses bone as they age, with or without implants.
While playing second base in baseball while in college, I had a ground ball jump up and hit me in my left eye tooth breaking it off. The dentist had to pull the rest of it and put a one tooth partial in my mouth. Years later when implants came on the scene, I waited about two years for all the kinks to be worked out and then I had an implant installed to get rid of the partial. The only thing I didn’t like was having to wait so long after the implant was installed until I had the abutment and crown put on. My surgeon said they wait 4-5 months after putting in the implant to make sure the body won’t reject it. I guess they found out if they don’t wait long enough, the body could end up rejecting all the implants that are put in after a tooth or teeth have been extracted. But, in the end, I am happy with it.
dobielvr
Well-known Member
- Location
- California
I want one of these.
But, I'm guessing you have to have 2 good teeth on either side to hook this on to?
The teeth are there, but not in the best of shape.
I should probably speak to my dentist. I see 2 dentists, one that does my cleaning, cause the girl is so good.
My other dentist does all my repair work.
Sassycakes
SF VIP
- Location
- Pennsylvania
About 15yrs ago a friend of mine had an accident and lost some teeth. He had them replaced with dental implants. 5 yrs later he got cancer in his gum. The Doctor told him it was from the implants. He passed away shortly after the diagnosis.
Don M.
SF VIP
- Location
- central Missouri
I had my semi-annual dental cleaning today. I'm missing 4 molars, and I have a partial to replace 4 other teeth in my lower jaw. The days when I could rip into a tough steak are history, but I can eat most foods ok. At my age, my gums have receded a bit...exposing the roots to potential decay. I have discussed implants with my doctor...he does them....but at the price of about $4K per tooth, I would have to win the lottery before I would consider spending that kind of money, If I have any more tooth loss, I will seriously think about a full set of dentures. My wife got full dentures about 15 years ago, and outside of a couple of "re-fittings" in the first year, she is doing just fine.
Llynn
Non-ranked Constituent
- Location
- Pacific NorthWET
I had a partial made several years ago when I lost a molar. At my age, I could see no value in buying something as expensive as an implant that would just be burned up in a few years.
Victor
Senior Member
- Location
- midwest USA
Hate to admit this but 3 dentists told me I need a full upper mouth replacement with implants and bridge
because of the poor gums and roots. They made a denture bridge that I rejected because it felt like weird plastic, very uncomfortable and dont want to take them out at night. . Two different specialists advised strongly to get an upper arch bridge/implants that are permanent. And even with my discount plan it is about 23,000 for everything. Now I have about 6 teeth missing and nothing to chew on. No pain though. I also had implants in my lower mouth that are imperfect. Another 5000 or more. Operation semisedate you and you must be driven home. They act like it is major surgery. It is a racket no doubt-- even my dentist said it is about the money. This takes a hunk from my savings! I don't know if I can afford to move now. I did the research and this is my best option, so it seems. Depressed!
because of the poor gums and roots. They made a denture bridge that I rejected because it felt like weird plastic, very uncomfortable and dont want to take them out at night. . Two different specialists advised strongly to get an upper arch bridge/implants that are permanent. And even with my discount plan it is about 23,000 for everything. Now I have about 6 teeth missing and nothing to chew on. No pain though. I also had implants in my lower mouth that are imperfect. Another 5000 or more. Operation semisedate you and you must be driven home. They act like it is major surgery. It is a racket no doubt-- even my dentist said it is about the money. This takes a hunk from my savings! I don't know if I can afford to move now. I did the research and this is my best option, so it seems. Depressed!