Expert: Rafael Mosery,D.D.S. - 1/30/2007

Question
Dr. Mosery

I have a cracked tooth-#4.  I now have to make a decision regarding the replacement for my missing tooth.  I do not want to get another bridge as I already have one on the  lower left side of my jaw.  I have read about the Maryland Bridge and an invisible retainer as a replacement.  Can you give me your thoughts on to how durable they are and their how long they would normally last, if possible.

Thank you for your help

Answer
If tooth #4 is coming out your best choice would be to replace it with a dental implant.This is a free standing restoration-it's not attached to the adjacent teeth.
The Maryland bridge or invisible retainer is more suitable for a lateral incisor or a lower central incisor. The problem with these retainers is that they most always come loose due to the bite forces placed.The only time I would consider using this is when it's against a full denture so forces are drastically minimized. These restorations were popular in the early 80's ,they are no longer..due to the failure rate mentioned above.Bottom line:Do not replace #4 with a bonded bridge,it's a short term thing.Hope this helps.