When you lose a tooth, this could lead to much more than just embarrassment. In fact, minor tooth loss could mean a host of serious complications for your smile! In today’s blog, your Celina, TX, dentist will explain how we address missing teeth with a custom-made bridge, and whether you should secure one with a crown or dental implant.
The Health Risks of Missing Teeth
How does losing one or more teeth harm our smiles? Well, the gaps in your smile could lead to the surrounding teeth drifting from position, which in turn causes misalignment and a higher risk of complications like tooth decay and gum disease. Missing teeth also upset the balance of the bite, straining the jaw joints and increasing the risk of issues like TMJ disorder and bruxism (teeth grinding), which lead to uncomfortable symptoms and damaged teeth. The body will also suspend the flow of nutrients to the jawbone around the missing teeth, which causes the bone tissue to break down. The patient will develop an aged appearance and lose additional missing teeth.
Crown-Secured Dental Bridges
A bridge replaces between one and three lost teeth in a row. We start the process of creating them by removing natural structure from the teeth on either side of the gap, which we refer to as abutment teeth. We then take detailed impressions and images, which we use to design the prosthetic. The bridge will contain your new teeth, which we refer to as pontics, and crowns on either end. We place the crown onto the abutment teeth, anchoring the new teeth securely in place. The prosthetic then lasts about 10 to 15 years, requiring replacement as the jaw ridge changes shape.
Support with Dental Implants
We also have a more secure option! Instead of using crowns, we insert one or more dental implants into the jawbone. They act as new tooth roots, which stimulates the growth of jawbone tissue, preventing changes to the jaw ridge and enabling your new teeth to last for decades to come. We don’t need to remove structure from natural teeth either, so your preserve more of your smile. We will provide detailed instructions on caring for your new teeth, and we will keep an eye on them with regular checkup and cleaning visits. If you have any questions about addressing one or more missing teeth, or if you want to know how to avoid issues like tooth loss, then contact our team today.
Do You Have a Lost Tooth?
At Celina Family Dentistry, our team is ready to tackle your missing teeth and restore function and beauty to your smile. Contact our Celina, Texas office at (214) 851-0130 to learn more about treating cases of tooth loss.
Recent Comments