I see your point, implants can definitely be a lifesaver long-term. But honestly, at my age, I went with a bridge and haven't regretted it yet. My dentist was upfront about the risks, but he also said implants aren't always ideal if your bone density isn't great (which mine isn't). Four years in and it's still holding strong... guess it really depends on individual circumstances and health factors. Glad your aunt found relief though—dental troubles are no joke.
"implants aren't always ideal if your bone density isn't great (which mine isn't)."
That's a good point, bone density really can be a deciding factor. But just to share another perspective—my grandma had similar bone density concerns, and her dentist suggested a bone graft first to strengthen the area. It took a bit longer overall, but she went ahead with the implant afterward, and it's been solid for about three years now. Definitely agree it's all about individual circumstances though... everyone's different. Glad your bridge is working out!
"her dentist suggested a bone graft first to strengthen the area."
Yeah, that's a really good point about the bone graft. My mom faced a similar issue a couple years back—her dentist also mentioned the graft as an option, but when we looked into it, the extra procedure bumped up the cost quite a bit. Since she was on a fixed income, we had to weigh that carefully. In the end, she went with a bridge because it fit better into her budget and didn't require as much waiting or healing time. It's been about four years now, and she's had no complaints. I think implants can be great if you have the time and money, but bridges are definitely a solid alternative if you're watching costs or hesitant about extra procedures. Glad your grandma's implant worked out though... always nice when these things go smoothly.
My dentist floated the bone graft idea too, and honestly, I joked with him that at my age I'm not sure investing in extra bone is worth it—I'm already creaking enough as it is. Ended up going the bridge route myself, mostly because I didn't want to deal with the extra healing time. It's been fine so far, but now I'm curious: has anyone here had a bridge for more than 10 years? Wondering how long I can realistically expect mine to hold up...
I've had my bridge for about 12 years now, and honestly, it's held up pretty well. I went the bridge route mainly because implants were beyond my budget at the time, and I wasn't keen on the lengthy healing process either. It's been mostly trouble-free, though I do occasionally worry about the surrounding teeth weakening over time. Has anyone experienced issues with adjacent teeth after having a bridge long-term? Curious how common that really is...
