Treating Tooth Loss With Dental Bridges

austin dental bridgeWhen you lose a tooth, even one tooth, this could mean serious trouble for the function and beauty of your smile, and even negatively impact oral health too. Which is why replacing your missing teeth with a dental bridge is so important. In today’s blog, your Austin, MN, dentists talk about our dental bridges.

The Causes and Risks of Missing Teeth

Our teeth could become lost due to an injury that damages or knocks them loose, or due to an advanced case of tooth decay and dental infection. However, the most common cause is periodontitis, the advanced case of gum disease that destroys the connective tissues between the teeth and gums. The gaps in your smile could mean misalignment develops, as surrounding teeth start to drift. The resulting misalignment could mean an increased risk of tooth decay and gum disease. The strain brought on by tooth loss could also cause TMJ disorder and bruxism (teeth grinding). Gaps in your smile could also limit what foods you can eat, or even cause difficulty speaking clearly. Which is why addressing these gaps with a prosthetic is so valuable!

Creating Your Prosthetics

A dental bridge addresses between one and three missing teeth in a row. Each one is custom-made for your smile to ensure a proper fit, balanced bite, and of course, a lifelike appearance. To start, we need to numb the teeth on either end of the gap in your smile. Once we do, we will gently remove structure from them and take detailed digital images and impressions. We use this information in a lab setting to design and fabricate your prosthetic. When the bridge is ready, it will contain pontics (new teeth) with crowns attached to each end. We then connect the dental crowns to the abutment teeth we removed structure from. This secures your new ones firmly in place.

The Benefits of a Dental Bridge

The bridge itself is crafted from ceramic, which is very durable and able to absorb daily bite forces and pressure. The same material is also translucent like tooth enamel, and we can color-match it to blend with the rest of your smile. The prosthetic will look natural and restore your ability to chew and speak without complication. The prosthetic is also easy to clean when you brush and floss, and we can discuss proper care and maintenance to help it last for decades to come.

If you have any questions, give us a call today!

Talk To Your Austin, MN Dentist About Prosthetic Dentistry

Our team wants to help you enjoy a full smile again. If you would like to find out more about replacing one or more missing teeth, then contact your Austin, MN, dentists, Dr. Potach and Dr. Mitchell, by calling 507-437-6312.