When a tooth is lost, you don’t have to spend your days hiding your smile and watching complications develop. Instead, we can replace your missing teeth with a lifelike prosthetic! In today’s blog, your Celina, TX, dentist talks about how we offer a full and beautiful smile again with our custom dental bridges.
The Impact of Missing Teeth
Even the loss of a single tooth could cause trouble for your oral health. This gap could cause surrounding teeth to drift from position, the resulting misalignment not only changing your smile’s appearance, but increasing the risk of tooth decay and gum disease. For others, the gap could alter bite balance and strain jaw joints, leading to complications like TMJ disorder and bruxism. You could also feel uncomfortable with the appearance of your smile, and the underlying factors behind your missing tooth could increase the number of missing teeth in the future.
The Dental Bridge
For minor tooth loss, about one to three lost teeth in a row on average, we can help with a dental bridge. The prosthetic contains new teeth with crowns attached to either end. To create them we numb the teeth on either side of the gap and remove structure from them. We then take detailed digital images of the abutment teeth and use the images in a lab setting to design and craft the prosthetic. The bridge is crafted from ceramic, which can handle daily bite forces and also be shaded to look natural.
Fixed With Crowns or Dental Implants
Traditionally, the crowns are attached to the prepared abutment teeth, securing the new ones in place. Your prosthetic can last about 10 to 15 years on average, and will need to be replaced as the jaw ridge changes shape. However, we could also insert dental implants into the smile, usually one or two, and attach the bridge to them. With this option, we don’t need to remove structure from natural teeth and the implants themselves will prevent the changes to the jaw ridge, as the body accepts them as natural roots. As a result, your prosthetic can last for decades to come, possibly even a lifetime.
If you have missing teeth and want to know what option is best for your smile, then contact our team today to schedule a consultation. We will examine your smile and decide which is the best course of action to replace your missing teeth and restore function, health, and beauty once again.
Do You Need Prosthetic Dentistry?
If you have one or more missing teeth and need a dental prosthetic, then please contact your Celina, TX, dentist, Dr. Newton, by calling (214) 851-0130. We can help you enjoy a complete smile again!
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