When you lose a tooth, or several in a row, then to return your smile to optimal function and beauty you may need a bridge. We can offer traditional prosthetics, and bridges that have been secured with dental implants. In today’s blog, your El Paso, TX, dentists talk about the benefits of our custom bridges.
The Causes of Tooth Loss
First, why do we lose natural teeth? Our smiles could develop gaps due to untreated concerns like tooth decay and infection, which causes teeth to fall out or be extracted to protect the rest of the smile. Injury could be a factor too. But periodontitis, the late stage of gum disease, is the most common cause of adult tooth loss. When these gaps form, your smile could develop misalignment as teeth shift, causing changes to your appearance and an increased risk of cavities and gum disease. The changes to your bite’s balance could also cause concerns like TMJ disorder and bruxism (teeth grinding). Trouble eating and speaking clearly could also occur! Which is why addressing minor tooth loss with a bridge is so essential.
Creating a Custom Dental Prosthetic
Each dental bridge we provide is custom-made for your smile, so they fit comfortably and preserve the balance of your bite. To get started, we will numb your teeth and remove structure from the abutment teeth, the ones on each side of the gap in your smile. We then take detailed digital images of these prepared teeth and the gap, which we use in a dental lab to design and craft your finished prosthetic. The prosthetic will contain new teeth with crowns on one or both sides. Made from ceramic, they will be shaded to blend with your smile, and will be able to handle daily bite forces and pressure with ease.
Traditional vs. Implant-Secured
For the traditional options, we will attach the crowns to the abutment teeth. These last about 10 to 15 years on average, requiring replacement as the jaw ridge changes shape. But with dental implants, we can stimulate the growth of jawbone structure to prevent changes to the ridge, so your posts act as new roots and last for decades. We prevent tooth structure as the crowns can be attached to the post, so abutment teeth remain whole. If you have any questions about how we treat tooth loss with a bridge, or about securing a traditional one versus an implant version, then contact our team today.
TALK TO SUNNY SMILES IN EL PASO, TX, ABOUT PROSTHETIC DENTISTRY
We want to help you obtain a full and beautiful smile. If you’re ready to schedule a visit and replace your missing teeth, then contact our Sunny Smiles location on N Zaragoza Rd in El Paso, TX at 915-849-9000.