When you have several teeth missing, you can use multiple tooth dental implants to replace them and some of their roots.

What are the advantages of implant-supported bridges over fixed bridges or removable partial dentures?

Multiple tooth implants have several benefits over fixed bridges and removable partial dentures. They look and work like natural teeth, and they replace teeth without needing help from nearby natural teeth. Other ways of replacing several teeth, such as fixed bridges or removable partial dentures, depend on support from other teeth.

Another big benefit is that multiple tooth implants are easier to maintain than removable partial dentures, which have to be taken out and cleaned after meals and soaked overnight. Multiple tooth implants only need the same daily brushing and flossing that natural teeth need.

Also, because multiple tooth implants take the place of some of your tooth roots, your bone will stay stronger. Dental implants join with your jawbone, which helps to keep the bone healthy and your natural smile beautiful. With a fixed bridge or removable partial denture, on the other hand:

The bone that used to surround the tooth root can start to decay. This can make the jawbone shrink and the smile look sunken and ugly.
Gums and bone can shrink around a fixed bridge or removable partial denture and make a noticeable flaw.
The cement that keeps bridges in place can come out, letting bacteria damage the teeth that hold the bridge.
Removable partial dentures can slide in the mouth and make it harder to eat some foods.

Multiple tooth dental implants look, work, and feel more like natural teeth than a fixed bridge or removable partial denture. They also resist decay and are more comfortable.

How will the implants be placed?

There are three components to an implant-supported bridge:

The implants, which are screw-like or cylinder-shaped and go into your jaw.
The prosthetic (fake) teeth, which are like healthy, natural teeth in appearance and function.
The abutments that go into the implants and let the new teeth join with the implants.

The procedure usually begins with using a scalpel to cut and lift two flaps of gum tissue to reveal the jawbone underneath. (In some situations, a small round cut may be enough to reach the jawbone without lifting the gum tissue.) Next, a hole is made in the jawbone for each implant, and the implants are placed inside. You may be able to wear temporary teeth over the implants while they heal. If not, a temporary cap will be attached to each implant to protect its inner part from the mouth. The gum tissue flaps are then adjusted, moved back over the jawbone and around the implant caps, and stitched together. The stitches will be taken out after a week or so.

The next phase lasts from two to six months, during which the implants and the bone fuse together to create strong supports for your new teeth. After that, the implants are exposed, the temporary caps (or teeth) are removed, and the abutments are attached. You will need to wait for your gums to heal for a few weeks before the final step.

The last step is to connect the bridge that mimics your natural teeth to the abutments. You will soon notice an improvement in your smile and your ability to eat and talk normally.