When you have lost a tooth, or a couple in a row, then you have a gap that could compromise your oral health and appearance. Fortunately, to address the issue and offer lifelike results, we could provide a dental bridge. In today’s blog, your El Paso, TX, dentists talk about when smiles need dental bridges.
When to Seek Tooth Replacement
We suggest seeking treatment as soon as a tooth is lost. Even one missing tooth could cause serious trouble for your smile, far behind your embarrassment at the gap in your smile. For example, the teeth on either side could drift from position, leading to misalignment that further harms your oral health too. The risk of tooth decay and gum disease could become much higher due to this, as brushing and flossing is more difficult. The changes to your bite balance could strain the jaw joints, so complications like TMJ disorder and bruxism (chronic teeth grinding) develop. The body will also suspend the flow of calcium and phosphates to the structure around the lost root, a complication that leads to a breakdown in jawbone structure. You risk losing additional teeth, and even obtaining an older appearance.
Creating a Custom Prosthetic
Our team can offer a bridge designed specifically for your smile, so it fits comfortably and provides a lifelike appearance. To begin, we will numb the teeth on each side of the gap, which we refer to as abutment teeth. Next, we take detailed digital images of the teeth and use these to craft a 3D computer impression. We use this in a dental lab to design and craft the finished product. The bridge will contain your new tooth or teeth, with crowns attached to one or both sides. Made from ceramic, this will be able to handle daily bite forces and pressure, and also be shaded to blend with your smile too.
Securing Your New Smile
For traditional options, we will attach the crown to the abutment teeth we remove structure from, securing the new teeth in place for years to come. However, we could also insert one or two dental implants and then attach the crowns to them. This means no need to remove structure from natural teeth, and also that your new prosthetic can last far longer, decades in some cases. If you have any questions about treating missing teeth with a custom-made dental bridge, then contact our team today to learn more.
TALK TO SUNNY SMILES IN EL PASO, TX, ABOUT OUR DENTAL PROSTHETICS
Whether you have minor or severe cases of tooth loss, we can help with a custom prosthetic. If you’re ready to schedule a visit with our team, contact our Sunny Smiles location on N Zaragoza Rd in El Paso, TX at 915-849-9000.