A
conventional fixed bridges. The future
should see many more implant treatments
replacing single and double missing teeth,
and fewer bridges, and these procedures
will largely be performed by general dentists.
Conventional bridging requires “the
optional sacrificing” of the long-term health
of tooth structures, resulting in premature
tooth loss. Pulp tissue, periodontal health,
and structural strength are all irreversibly
compromised whenever a bridge procedure
is performed.
lmost all general dentists believe
that a fixed conventional bridge is
still the standard of care today for
a single missing tooth. The successful
use of dental implants to restore one
or more missing teeth has made this belief
no longer true. The paradigm shift is on the
horizon for general dentists where they
need to think out of the box and must present
a more balanced and updated risk-benefit
analysis of treatments to enable our
patients to continue to receive the best and
the healthiest possible treatment. The future
should see many more implant treatments
replacing one or more missing teeth, and
fewer bridges, and these procedures should
largely be performed by general dentists as
this treatment is not difficult to perform,
and it offers superior health advantages
compared with bridging.
The success of implant therapy begins
with meticulous treatment planning and
properly performed implant placement.
Treatment planning is the key to success for
all implant related procedures.
Implants can provide an alternate
method of restoring the missing teeth with
ease and simplicity without compromising
the adjacent natural teeth.
A solid integrated malaligned implant is
a prosthetic failure in terms of clinical
usage. Experience tells us that not all clinical
situations are ideal. Treatment circumstances
at times necessitate the replacement
of soft-tissue contours, or in some instances
the placement of additional implants may
not be an option and a fixed restoration not
feasible.
Fixed replacement options in areas of
one or more missing teeth are limited to
.
