If you have several missing teeth along your jawline, then an Implant Supported Bridge is the ideal procedure for you. Although very similar to a regular dental bridge, an implant supported bridge is reinforced by dental implants rather than natural teeth. The implants are generally placed along the jawline where the teeth are missing, and a series of connecting crowns are then placed to form a bridge.

If the implants will be placed next to natural teeth, the natural teeth and surrounding gums must be in good health. If you don’t have enough bone to place and support the dental implants, the supporting bone can be built up using bone augmentation or grafting before the actual implant procedure begins.

This particular implant procedure consists of three things: the implant, which are surgically placed in the jawbone, typically placed in areas where the teeth are missing; the abutment screwed to the implant, which is a cylinder made of titanium, gold, or porcelain, and serves as the “connector” joining the implant and the crowns; the restoration (the bridged crowns that look like real teeth) custom-made to match your real teeth.

With an implant support bridge, you will feel more comfortable than using a removable partial denture. Chewing food will feel normal, bone resorption will be preventable, and the look of your new set of teeth will appear natural.

In addition, because implant-supported bridges will replace some of your tooth roots, your bone is better preserved. With a fixed bridge or removable partial denture, the bone that previously surrounded the tooth root may begin to reabsorb (deteriorate). Dental implants integrate with your jawbone, helping to keep the bone healthy and intact.