When you have lost a tooth, or perhaps as many as three in a row, then you need a prosthetic to fill the gap and protect your smile. With a dental bridge, we can offer a solution to missing teeth that blends with your smile. In today’s blog, your Astoria, NY, dentist talks about how we craft and support a custom dental bridge.
The Causes and Risks of Missing Teeth
Why do we lose natural teeth? Gaps could occur in our smile due to several factors. For example, you could have a severe cavity or infection that isn’t treated, so a tooth is lost or even requires extraction to protect the rest of your smile. For others, injury to the face could be responsible. The most common cause is actually periodontitis, the advanced stage of gum disease. Without treatment, even minor tooth loss could increase the risk of issues eating your favorite dishes or speaking clearly. You could also develop stress on your jaw joints, causing TMJ disorder and bruxism (teeth grinding). Misalignment could occur as well, as nearby teeth drift from position due to the gap in your smile, which not only changes your smile’s appearance, but increases the risk of cavities and periodontal issues. Don’t live with embarrassing gaps in your smile, talk to our team about a dental bridge.
How We Craft Your New Teeth
A dental bridge is a custom-made prosthetic that can address between one and three missing teeth in a row. To begin, our team needs to numb the teeth on each side of the space in your smile. Once we do, we can gently remove outer structure to make room for your new prosthetic. Our team then takes detailed digital images and measurements of the abutment teeth and the gap, which we use in a lab setting to design and craft your bridge. The prosthetic will be made from a durable material that can handle daily bite forces, such as ceramic. The same material can also be shaded to blend with your smile too!
Securing Your New Smile
When your new teeth are ready, we will check the fit and make some final adjustments as needed. We then connect the crown portion of the prosthetic to the prepared teeth, which anchors your new teeth in place. Your prosthetic can stay in place for up to 15 years, and offer lifelike tooth replacement in that time. If you have any questions about how we design and secure a custom dental bridge, then contact our team today to learn more.
SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT FOR PROSTHETIC TREATMENT
Our team wants to help you enjoy a full smile again following tooth loss! You can schedule an appointment by calling our office in Astoria, NY at 718-728-8320.
