When you suffer from minor tooth loss, such as a single lost tooth or as many as three in a row, we could offer replacement. Dental bridges can address minor tooth loss and restore smiles to full function, health, and beauty once again. In today’s blog, your Brighton, MA, dentist talks about how we bridge the gap in your smile!
The Impact of Minor Tooth Loss
Losing even one tooth could mean you need a prosthetic. Otherwise, the gap in your smile could allow misalignment to occur, which changes the appearance of your smile and leaves you vulnerable to tooth decay and gum disease. Missing teeth could upset your bite balance so the onset of TMJ disorder and bruxism (teeth grinding) is more likely. If the gap is as large as three to four teeth in a row, this could impact your speech and limit your meal options. Once the body registers the missing root, this could cause it to suspend the flow of nutrients to the jaw. The bone tissue loses mass and density and causes further tooth loss and an aged appearance! But we can help prevent this with a dental bridge.
Creating a Custom Dental Prosthetic
Our bridges are custom-made for our patients. The process starts with our team numbing the abutment teeth, the natural ones on each side of the gap. We then remove structure from them and take detailed images and impressions, which we use in a lab setting to design and craft your custom prosthetic. Your prosthetic will contain new teeth with crowns on one or both ends. Made from ceramic, these can absorb daily bite forces and be shaded to blend with your smile. They look natural and can make you able to handle your favorite dishes again.
Supporting Your New Bridge
For a traditional bridge, our team will connect the crown portions to the abutment teeth, which anchors them into place. These tend to last about 10 to 15 years before replacement is needed as the jaw ridge changes shape. We could also insert one to two dental implants and attach the corns to them, which preserves tooth structure. Since the implants act as a new tooth, your jaw ridge remains unchanged and your prosthetic can stay in place for decades to come, possibly a lifetime.
If you have any questions about how our team takes on missing teeth, then contact our office today to learn more. We want to help you enjoy a full smile once again!
Talk to Brighton Family Dental About Dental Prosthetics
Our team wants to help you enjoy a complete smile again with lifelike results. Learn more about the process of replacing missing teeth by calling us at Brighton Family Dental Group in Brighton, MA, today at (617) 562-5210.
