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Dr. Robert Korwin DMD MAGD MICOI
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Dear Dr. Korwin,
My upper molar is broken below the gum line from a car accident and needs to be removed. I want my teeth to be easy to take care of. I have no idea if I should leave it alone or get a bridge or an implant. What should I do?
When teeth are removed and not replaced, the neighboring teeth shift. Your mouth can get uncomfortable when chewing, and cavities and gum disease grow faster. Take a tip from an expert, to make your mouth easiest and quickest to take care of, you should have the extracted tooth replaced as soon as possible, or at least use a retainer to keep the neighbors from shifting.
When a bridge is used, cleaning your teeth is a little more time consuming since you have to clean under the bridge every day. An implant is shaped most like your natural tooth so it takes the least additional care. Cleaning an implant is very similar to cleaning your natural teeth.
Another advantage of an implant over a bridge is that an implant does not change the neighboring teeth. A bridge requires a crown or a similar attachment to each neighboring tooth. This changes the tooth permanently.
Fortunately, either way, both implants and bridges can be blended to the color of your natural or whitened teeth. So have no worries about appearance. It may look even better than your previous tooth!
Schedule an appointment at my office if you’re in the area (732-219-8900) or ask your dentist to help you with this important decision, since each mouth is unique and needs individual care.
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