Here are some alternatives to implants:
- Fixed bridges
The adjacent tooth/teeth are prepared for crowns. The false tooth is fused to the crowns and suspended over the gap.
Bridges are suitable for tooth-bounded spaces (there is at least one suitable tooth at the back end of the space). The tooth/teeth chosen to act as supports (abutments) should be stable.
Bridges can be more difficult to clean, especially if a fixed-fixed design is chosen instead of a cantilever.
- Dentures
Partial dentures made of plastic (acrylic) or metal (cobalt-chrome) can be used for spaces that do not have a terminal tooth at the back end to support a bridge, or when the space is very large or crosses the midline of the arch.
Dentures are supported by the remaining teeth and the gums. Over time, the pressure of wearing a denture causes shrinkage of the underlying bone and gum creating a gap underneath the denture. The denture must be relined to regain a good fit.
