If you have lost a tooth, or three in a row, then you need to seek a dental prosthetic. Our dental bridges can address minor tooth loss and offer a lifelike appearance too. In today’s blog, your Celina, TX, dentist talks about our crown-supported and implant-secured dental bridges, and how we ensure they look natural!
When You Need a Prosthetic
When should you talk to our team about a dental prosthetic? As soon as you lose a tooth, let us know! Lack of treatment for missing teeth could lead to underlying issues causing further tooth loss. You could also develop misalignment, and the strain on your smile could mean TMJ disorder and bruxism (teeth grinding). Treatment could prevent issues with eating and speaking too, so you maintain a good quality of life. For cases of one to three missing teeth in a row, a custom dental bridge may be the right solution!
Crafting the Lifelike Dental Prosthetic
Each one we make for our patients are custom and personalized for their smile, ensuring a comfortable fit and a lifelike appearance. To get started, we will examine the smile to assess the cause of your tooth loss, so we can treat these and manage them to protect your remaining natural teeth. We then numb the abutment teeth on each side of the gap and remove structure from them. Detailed digital images will be taken of these teeth and used to design and fabricate the final product. The bridge will be made from ceramic, which absorbs daily bite forces and can be shaded to blend with the smile. They will contain new teeth with crowns attached to each end.
Crowns vs. Dental Implants
For a traditional bridge, we will attach the crown portions to the abutment teeth on each side of the gap, securing the new teeth firmly in place. They will last about 10 to 15 years on average, and need replacement as the shape of the jaw ridge changes. This change is brought on by the loss of mass and density in the jaw, as the body diverts nutrients away from the areas with missing roots. However, we could also secure the crowns to free standing dental implants we insert into the jaw. With this option we don’t need to remove structure from the abutment teeth, and the implants prevent the loss of mass and density, preserving your jawbone. As a result, your bridge can last for decades to come!
If you have any questions about treating tooth loss, then give us a call today!
Do You Have Missing Teeth?
If you want to learn more about addressing minor tooth loss, or would like to schedule an appointment, please contact your Celina, TX, dentist, Dr. Newton, by calling (214) 851-0130.
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