Dental Bridges Can Help Restore Your Smile

Nov 20
10:44

2011

Andrea Avery

Andrea Avery

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Dental bridges are a type of restoration consisting of a false tooth and two crowns attached to your adjacent teeth. They are commonly used to replace a missing tooth or teeth when your remaining teeth and gums are healthy. This type of restoration typically occurs over two or more dentist visits, and it will help restore your smile in a natural looking way.

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Dental bridges are used to replace missing teeth and can be made to match your natural tooth color. While there are many different types of tooth restorations,Dental Bridges Can Help Restore Your Smile Articles each one may be better under different circumstances. This type, also called a fixed partial denture, is a good option if you have one or more missing teeth, but your remaining teeth and gums are healthy. The teeth on each side of the missing tooth or teeth must be healthy because they are used to stabilize the replacement tooth and hold it in place. The process for this restoration usually takes at least two dental office visits.

To hold the false tooth or teeth in place, dental crowns are attached to the teeth on each side of the gap. The crowns are not simply placed over your existing teeth because they would be too bulky. Instead, your teeth on each side of the gap are reduced first to make room for the crowns. During your first visit, your dentist will reduce those teeth and make an impression of your teeth. The impression is used to make the dental bridges in a laboratory, so that it will fit properly in your mouth without causing any discomfort or problems. While the bridge is being made, your dentist will give you a temporary one to help protect your teeth and gums.

When your dental bridge is ready, you will return for your second visit. Your dentist will adjust the bridge to make sure it is in the proper position and check your bite for any problems. In some cases, your dentist may use a temporary cement during this visit and have you come back to permanently cement the bridge after a couple of weeks. This is done to make sure it is fitting properly before it is permanently set in place.

The dental bridge is made up of the two crowns that fit over the adjacent teeth, or abutment teeth, and the false tooth that replaces your missing tooth. The false tooth is called a pontic, and it may be constructed out of porcelain, metal, alloys, or a combination of those materials. Porcelain and porcelain-fused-to-metal are common choices to replace teeth in highly visible areas of the mouth. They can be made to match your existing teeth and create a natural looking smile. Once the procedure is complete, your tooth restoration can last for ten or fifteen years. You will need to practice good oral hygiene and have regular dental appointments to take care of the restoration.

Dental bridges can not only restore your smile, but also make it easier for you to eat and speak. Missing teeth can greatly affect your ability to chew or speak properly. In addition, the teeth next to an opening can shift out of position. Your other teeth and gums, especially near the spaces from missing teeth, are at greater risk for decay and disease. Fixed partial dentures are unlike normal dentures because they are permanently positioned in your mouth. This means you will not have the discomfort caused by sliding dentures, or the irritation of constantly having to use adhesives. This type of restoration is usually partially covered by most dental insurance plans. Other restorations, like dental implants, are not. If you have lost one or more teeth in some kind of accident, then you will likely be a good candidate for this restoration.