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Do you hide your smile because you are embarrassed about a lost tooth? Even a molar at the back of the mouth may be noticeable when you laugh and speak with another person. With a dental bridge, Grant Park dentist Dr. Abbey Lee can restore your confidence in your appearance and protect you from future dental problems associated with a lost tooth.
Why You Should Replace Your Tooth
Sometimes it may be tempting to think, “I have plenty of teeth, losing one is no big deal.” The truth is that a lost tooth can lead to a cascade of dental problems that grows more serious the longer you wait.
When a tooth is lost, the nearby teeth will slowly shift inward to fill the open space. This can lead to problems with your tooth alignment and will affect the way you bite and chew. Teeth that used to fit together perfectly now hit each other at odd angles. This can make them more vulnerable to cracking and teeth may become more worn down and vulnerable to decay. Statistically speaking, patients who lose one tooth and do not have it replaced are more likely to lose more teeth in the future. You don’t want that to happen to you.
Getting a dental bridge will stabilize the teeth near your gap, so they don’t shift out of their proper alignment. It also gives you a chewing surface to replace the tooth you lost and restore your smile.
What is a Dental Bridge?
A dental bridge is much like a bridge that covers a body of water. Think of your gap as the water and the teeth adjacent to the gap as the land on either side. Appearance-wise, a bridge looks like three connected prosthetic teeth. The two teeth on the ends are actually dental crowns that will be permanently attached to your teeth. The tooth in the middle is the prosthetic tooth (pontic) that will sit over the gum tissue and replace your missing tooth.
The process of getting a dental bridge takes only a couple of weeks. During your first visit, we (1) treat the teeth to prepare them to be crowned, and (2) take a dental impression, which will be sent to our dental laboratory. Before you leave, we fit you with a temporary bridge to protect your teeth while your bridge is being fabricated. At your second appointment, we permanently bond the bridge to your teeth. Voila! Your smile is complete again.
Looking for a More Permanent Replacement?
Dental bridges are an excellent way to restore a lost tooth, but dental implants are even better. Why? Dental implants last longer than bridges, do not depend on the health of other teeth, and better maintain the health of your jaw. Dental implants replace the whole tooth, root to crown, so they feel more natural, as well.
The processes and costs associated with dental implants are greater than that of a bridge, but many patients find it a worthy investment in their smile and oral health. Implants require a surgical procedure, as well as a period of healing that lasts approximately three months. In that time, new bone growth stabilizes and fuses the implant with your jaw bone. This creates a stable base for a porcelain crown to replace your missing tooth. In the end, the implant feels so natural that many patients forget that they ever lost a tooth in the first place.
To learn more about getting a dental bridge or single dental implant, contact Smiles 4 Grant Park. Dr. Abbey Lee will help you understand your options for tooth replacement, and help you decide which is right for you. Call us today at 404-328-7177 to make an appointment.
