Missing a Tooth? A Dental Bridge May Be the Answer

Missing a Tooth? A Dental Bridge May Be the Answer Featured Image - Tippin Dental Group

Losing a tooth can happen due to many reasons — trauma, injury, a cavity or even heredity — but can be fixed with things like dental bridges.

Benefits of dental bridges

There are many disadvantages of losing a tooth. Aside from the apparent impact on the smile, a missing tooth can cause slow degradation of the remaining teeth and gums. One of the restoration options that your dentist will suggest is a dental bridge. If you opt for this restoration, here are the benefits you stand to enjoy.

Inhibit teeth shifting

Failure to fill up an empty space in time may cause teeth adjacent to the space to move, causing crooked teeth. Crooked teeth are unappealing and make chewing food difficult. Dental bridges fill that space and stop the movement.

Since the bridge is designed to preserve the tooth structure, the natural appearance of your teeth will remain intact.

Easy speech and chewing

You probably already know that the teeth play a critical role when talking, and a missing tooth may affect speech. Usually, the impact of a missing tooth is dependent on its position in the mouth. The effect can be insignificant or highly apparent.

Whatever the situation is, using bridges to fill the space solves the issue. After the procedure, you should find it easier to speak clearly once more. You will also discover that bridges make chewing on either side of the mouth more convenient.

Prevent bone loss

The dentist will inform you that teeth gaps can result in a number of dental issues in the future. One of these problems is bone loss. You may be aware that people who wear dentures sometimes experience dislocating jaw structure and degradation of bone density with time. This situation arises because the teeth are absent to preserve the natural contours and sensitize the jawbone.

If you have lost a single tooth, having a bridge installed will help avert this situation. The bridge will ensure that the teeth adjacent to the gap remain in their place to prevent any risk of bone loss. The typical contour of the jaw will stay intact for several years.

A lasting solution

Dental bridges are to be differentiated from dentures because they are not designed to be removed before sleeping or for cleaning. A bridge is essentially a false tooth with three crowns. Every crown on the bridge serves a particular purpose. Two of the crowns cover the teeth on either side of the gap. The third crown is placed on the false tooth and stays in the gap. If the procedure is performed correctly, the bridge should fit seamlessly into the gap. You can brush the bridge like the rest of the teeth, and no additional care is required.

Conclusion

Although there are multiple options for restoring the lost tooth, dental bridges are one of the most popular and functional restorations. Talk to your dentist to know more about bridges and the treatment procedure. This will help you prepare adequately and make the right decision.

Keeping your smile healthy well into the future starts with creating healthy at-home habits followed by regular visits to our Wichita Dentist twice a year. To learn more about your treatment options, call Tippin Dental Group to schedule your next cleaning and examination.

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