Restore your beautiful smile with a dental bridge
Do you have a missing tooth or more? If you do, you are one of more than 100 million Americans, who are missing some of their natural teeth. In fact, there are more than 20 million people in the U.S., who are missing all of their natural teeth, and more than 100 million that are missing between 11 to 15 teeth.
If you have lost a single tooth or have several missing teeth, you will need to undergo a tooth replacement procedure. And the sooner you do that, the better. Replacing missing teeth not only helps restoring your smile, but can also prevent oral health problems, like gum disease or jaw bone loss.
Even if you are missing teeth in the back of your mouth, you might experience bite problems and other oral health issues, if you don’t take care of your smile and go through the right tooth replacement procedure.
One of the options that Dr. Lee from Covington Smiles could recommend for you is a dental bridge.
What is a Dental bridge?
A dental bridge is a fixed dental restoration (a fixed dental prosthesis), used to replace a missing tooth (or several teeth) by joining an artificial tooth permanently to adjacent teeth or dental implants.
Types of Dental Bridges
Types of bridges may vary, depending on their fabrication and on the way they anchor to the adjacent teeth. here are three main types of dental bridges:
• Traditional bridges – The most common type, usually made with porcelain fused to metal or ceramics
• Cantilever bridges – Employed when there is only one adjacent tooth for support on just one side of the gap
• Resin-bonded – Primarily used for your front teeth and consisting of a cast metal framework that is cemented with resin to the abutment teeth.
Only your Covington dentist could determine the right bridge type for you.
Who is a good candidate for a dental bridge?
Anyone, who is missing teeth should consult a professional dentist to get his or her smile restored. Missing teeth not only destroy the appearance of your smile, but more importantly, if space from missing teeth remains, the gums may be more vulnerable to gum disease and tooth decay.
How is dental bridge placement done?
Dental bridge placement starts with preparing the patient’s teeth on each side of the gap for placement of the false tooth or teeth. Your dentist will sculpt the surrounding teeth so that there is sufficient space to allow for the placement of the false tooth.
Next, an impression of your teeth is taken to create a model that will provide the basis for the creation of the dental bridge.
In the meantime, a temporary bridge will be placed over your teeth to protect them until the permanent bridge is completed. The permanent bridge will be affixed at your next appointment.
What are the benefits of dental bridge?
Dental bridges are a perfect option for creating a uniform and healthy smile, when there are missing teeth. The main benefits that patients experience are the following:
• Bridges restore alignment in the mouth
• They prevent gum disease and joint disorders
• They prevent adjacent teeth from shifting or rotating
• Bridges allow you to chew food and speak properly
• Bridges reduce stress on the jaw
• Bridges look very natural and Improve the aesthetics of your smile
• They are a long lasting solution that you can have for the rest of your life
If you are a candidate for dental bridges, be sure to choose a proven dental specialist, like Dr. Lee from Covington Smiles, who would come up with the most appropriate treatment plan for your specific needs.
Do celebrities get dental bridges?
Even though we consider celebrities always good looking and taking care of their appearance and health, it does happen to them as well to lose a tooth or even more than one. One famous example is the late singer Amy Winehouse. Due to bad habits, Amy lost two teeth and was risking a gum disease. She had her gap restored with a dental bridge.