I’m currently living in Okinawa, Japan as my husband serves in the military. My front tooth fell out because of an injury when I was younger. I’m wearing a flipper to keep the space open. Implant surgery being covered by our insurance over here, the dentist has advised me to get an implant. The surgeons doing it are military and not cosmetic dentists. I’m worried about it not blending in with the other teeth or my gum’s looking funny around the implant. My question is should I get the Implant when the Dentist is Military? Or should I just get a bridge?
A dental bridge
A dental implant
Pros and Cons of a Dental Implant vs Dental Bridge
To help answer your question, let me explain the advantages and disadvantages of a dental implant vs a dental bridge.
A dental implant involves a surgical procedure to place the root form, followed by a healing period, and then the replacement tooth is placed on top of that. The chief advantage is that nothing has to be done to the adjacent teeth.
A dental bridge involves placing two crowns on the two adjacent teeth, and a false tooth is suspended between them. The chief advantage is that the procedure is usually completed without any delays for healing. But many people don’t like the idea of placing crowns on otherwise healthy teeth, if the adjacent teeth are indeed healthy.
To give you an answer about your situation. If you’re worried about how it’s going to look afterward, I’d go with the dental implant rather than the bridge, because there will later only be one tooth you have to change rather than three. But if you are really that worried about the appearance, why not just stay with the dental flipper and get the permanent solution after you return to the states? For those who don’t know, a dental flipper is a simple removable tooth on a plastic base, usually with a couple of metal clips to help hold it in. It is inexpensive but not very durable.