If you have a gap in your smile, then your appearance and oral health suffers. Fortunately, we understand the risks associated with tooth loss and can provide strong and lifelike solutions. In today’s blog, we’re going to talk about how a dental bridge can help replace missing teeth and restore smiles.
Creating a Bridge
We first need to prepare your smile, which involves removing a small amount of tooth structure from the natural teeth on either side of the gap in your smile. We then take detailed digital impressions of your smile, which will be used to design and fabricate the bridge in a dental lab. The prosthetic will be made up of a new tooth, or pontic, with crowns attached to each end. We place the crowns on the prepared teeth, which anchors the new ones in place. We use lifelike materials to create the prosthetic, such as ceramic or zirconia. The new teeth and crowns will be shaded to blend with your smile seamlessly.
Maintaining Your New Tooth
You will need to care for your bridge just as you would your natural teeth. You need to brush twice a day, once when waking up and again before going to bed. We also suggest flossing each night before going to sleep. You will also need to clean the area between the top of your gums and the bottom of the prosthetic, where food particles can accumulate.
The Health Risks of Tooth Loss
Even if you only lose a single tooth, you need to have them replaced. Otherwise, the pressure on the jaw joints makes TMJ disorder and bruxism more likely to occur. Surrounding teeth can also drift from position, leading to misalignment. Finally, you may simply feel self-conscious about your smile, which can impact your quality of life. If you want to discuss our crowns and bridges, or any of our other tooth replacement options, then contact our team today.
Do You Need a Dental Bridge?
Dr. Lawson and our team can provide quality replacement for lost teeth. To learn more, schedule a consultation by calling our sleep dentistry office in Grimes, IA, at 515-278-4366.
