Another totally unnecessary "Should I for a bridge or implant?" question.

SimonFF

Hi, newbie here and I have given a look at previous thread before posting.

So, I am in my late 50s and I have a few dental problems, the most urgent is at my lower left molars. So basically one molar is completely gone but the bone and the roots are there and the adjacent molar is is till there but slowly falling apart and chipping. So my dentist has given me two options: bridge or two implants.

Pros of bridge: free, because I am on UC; it will be done by my dentist who has known me for years, not much preliminary work to do apart from taking the roots out.

Cons of bridge: adjacent intact molar would have to be shaved; dental bridges have a life and require maintenance, it is visible.

Pros of implant: it is more durable and stable than a bridge; doesn't require shaving of nearby teeth; better appearance.

Cons of implant: money, time and possible pain, plus I have heard horror stories of implants gone wrong.

I might have the money for the implants but this would have been my war chest for emergencies.

I literally don't know anybody who has gone for implants abroad. I also have massive mental heath problems and my decision making abilities are severely impaired at the moment.

I am more inclined towards the bridge, not only because of the money but also because it requires less stress.

Why should I not do a bridge? What are the long term implications of a bridge vs an implant? Thanks.

Devongardener

I had 2 implants last year as a result of a bridge breaking and one of the supporting teeth breaking.  

I have to say that the implant process really wasn’t anything like as painful as I was expecting.  I had light sedation and didn’t feel anything even with the extraction, stitches or insertion of the screws.  Yes it was expensive but definitely worth it and have had no problem with them since.

If you decide to have a bridge on the NHS on UC benefits,  it will be a basic, probably not as good quality materials or long lasting as it would be if being fitted privately.

SimonFF

Devongardener may I ask you where you had your implants and how it cost you?

And, to everybody, is that true you can't do MRI if you have a bridge because of the metal?

SimonFF

Edit: I can't edit my OP. I meant "how much" not "how".

brook2jack2

The things to be aware of are 

implants are not fit and forget . They require maintainance on a regular basis and parts will need replacing . Will you have the budget to do this in future? 

There is no hurry to replace missing molars. A definition of dental health is to have 20 teeth , that is all the teeth up to your premolars (the teeth in front of your molars ). 

Have you addressed what is causing your teeth to fail? If you are having mental health problems is this affecting your tooth care ? Are you on anti depressants that make your mouth dry? In which case you should not embark on complex dental treatment until your mental health and self care is better. 

Both a bridge and implants require a high standard of oral hygiene in order to stand the best chance of lasting . For implants you should not be a smoker and if you are diabetic that should be under good control. 

brook2jack2

There is no problem with having a mri with a dental bridge or implant , they are non ferrous , like fillings , and normally cause no problems. 

SimonFF

brook2jack2 said:

The things to be aware of are 

implants are not fit and forget . They require maintainance on a regular basis and parts will need replacing . Will you have the budget to do this in future?

Ah, I didn't think about it. Plus there is a long term plan of mine to move abroad and eventually be treated abroad by a different dentist.

There is no hurry to replace missing molars. A definition of dental health is to have 20 teeth , that is all the teeth up to your premolars (the teeth in front of your molars ). 

Have you addressed what is causing your teeth to fail?

The dentist said that the tooth is in danger because it has no balance from the adjacent missing teeth (one is a molar the other is a broken wisdom tooth. we did a 3D scan and it has shown the erosion from last year.

If you are having mental health problems is this affecting your tooth care ? Are you on anti depressants that make your mouth dry? In which case you should not embark on complex dental treatment until your mental health and self care is better. 

Both a bridge and implants require a high standard of oral hygiene in order to stand the best chance of lasting . For implants you should not be a smoker and if you are diabetic that should be under good control. 

Yes I am on anti depressant and there is no short medium term chance it is going to improve, so I can't wait. The idea of having to make a decision is overwhelming to me. The dentist suggested a bridge a few years ago but he said I should decide what to do in max 3-6 months.

Undervalued

brook2jack2 (as far as anybody can tell for certain on an anonymous forum!!) is a highly experienced dentist and has given you excellent advice. She is probably constrained from saying more by the forum rules prohibiting personal medical advice so has had to reply in general terms.

However I suggest you take what she has been able to say very seriously. 

Devongardener

SimonFF said:

Devongardener may I ask you where you had your implants and how it cost you?

And, to everybody, is that true you can't do MRI if you have a bridge because of the metal?

I had mine in Devon,  the implants were approx £1500 each then the crowns on top were about £800 each.   You do have to be thorough with cleaning, flossing etc, but they are checked at normal check ups, and I’ve had no problems at all.