When people have lost a tooth or as many as three in a row, then we can help with dental bridges. With these custom prosthetics, we can offer a full smile, sometimes with the use of dental implants too! In today’s blog, your Prairie Village, KS, dentist talks about how we create and support a dental bridge.
The Loss of Natural Teeth
We could lose our teeth to factors like tooth decay and infection, as well as injury or the advanced stage of gum disease. When we lose natural teeth, the gap that results will increase the risk of misalignment and with it, poorer oral health. Missing teeth could also increase the risk of painful complications like TMJ disorder and bruxism (teeth grinding). For some, missing teeth are linked to issues eating their favorite foods or even speaking clearly. Your jawbone itself could weaken, losing mass and density to break down and change the appearance of your bite or cause further tooth loss. But we can fill these gaps and preserve your smile with a dental bridge!
Creating Custom Dental Bridges
For a traditional option, we will numb the teeth on each side of the gap in your smile. Known as abutment teeth, these will be essential for securing your new teeth. We remove structure from them and then take detailed digital images of them and the gap itself, which we use in a lab setting to design and craft the finished product. Your dental bridge will be made from durable and lifelike ceramic, color-matched to blend with the rest of your smile. The prosthetic contains new teeth with crowns on one or both ends. We then attach the crowns to the abutment teeth to secure your prosthetic for about 10 to 15 years on average.
Securing Your Dental Prosthetic
For others, we could secure them with dental implants. We insert these biocompatible titanium posts into the jaw, where they act like new roots and bond with the jaw. This prevents the jawbone from losing mass and density, so your smile remains intact and your new teeth can last far longer. We also attach the crowns of your prosthetic to the implants, so your natural teeth don’t need to lose any structure. You could enjoy replacement teeth that can last decades with proper care and attention!
If you have any questions about how we address missing teeth with a bridge, then contact our team today to learn more.
Call Dr. Robert Browne, D.D.S. for Tooth Replacement Options
Our team knows that a prosthetic could offer the perfect solution for your missing teeth! To find out more about securing new and lifelike teeth or to schedule an appointment, please call Dr. Robert M. Browne, D.D.S. in Prairie Village, KS at (913) 901-8585.
