Should I get two implant or just have bridge done?
Q. I am a female, 21 years of age. I have a hereditary problem where I have missing permanent teeth under 6 of my deciduous teeth. Before my orthodontist put braces on me, he pulled out 6 of my deciduous teeth as through as X ray, he could tell that they were weak and the roots were not really firm/stable. 1 deciduous tooth was pulled out in the top right part of my mouth, and another 1 at the bottom right part of my mouth. Both of them are at the same location if you count from the mid line of my mouth. 2 other teeth were pulled out from the top left part of my mouth and another 2 right below it, on the lower jaw. My doctor told me that I have to get 2 implants put in on the upper and lower left side of the jaw (where 4 teeth were pulled out) as the gap cannot be closed by just braces. Well, technically it is possible but the midline would shift, causing my smile to be ugly. In conclusion, I want to know if it is worth investing so much money in the 2 implants. Should I just have a bridge done? My doctor says it will be a waste as the rest of my teeth are so perfect. What should I do? My braces will be off in July and I do not want to have the 2 gaps empty for long. Alternatively, would it be ok if I asked my doctor to close up the gap in the lower jaw and have an implant in the upper jaw? Would my teeth look weird? Please advice. Thanks a million.,
A. I just need to clarify that having a bridge is not the best long term option- as the lifespan of them range from 10-20 yrs. You also need to be aware that the teeth on either side will need to be drilled down to house the bridge teeth. This may compromise the health of the teeth- and these may need to be Root treated in the future. This will then weaken the teeth and their lifespan is reduced further. Dental implants are by far the best long term option in regaining fixed teeth. They are teeth in their own right and can last you a lifetime if they are looked after. I would recommend implants over bridges in your case as you have many yrs ahead of you. This would be an investment in the long run. As for closing the gaps with braces, this can- as you quite rightly said, create an unsymmetrical smile with the wrong size/shaped teeth in the wrong place. Hope this has helped.
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