Secure & Reliable Tooth Replacement with Bridges
When it’s time to replace a missing tooth, many patients opt for the security and reliability of a dental bridge. At Premier Smile Center in Fort Lauderdale, Dr. Charmaine Johnson and her team offer this natural-looking dental restoration to fill the hole in your smile and improve both the appearance and function of your teeth.
What Is a Dental Bridge?
A dental bridge does just what its name implies – creates a bridge between two teeth to fill a space in your smile. If you have lost a tooth because of infection, trauma, or extraction, the dental bridge completes your smile so you can bite, chew, and speak with confidence.
Bridges are typically comprised of metal clasps which are attached to the teeth on either side of the area where a tooth used to be. The clasps are anchored in place with porcelain crowns and a prosthetic tooth is attached to the bridge. Everything is bonded firmly in place for a complete restoration that looks natural and is minimally invasive.
Dental bridges can be made of porcelain fused to ceramic or porcelain fused to metal. Your budget and preferences will determine which option is right for your oral health but the results will be the same no matter what: a strong, customized dental solution that blends in with the rest of your smile.
The Importance of Replacing Missing Teeth
If you have a molar that’s missing and its absence is not all that noticeable, you may be tempted to just let it be and not bother replacing it. This decision is a risky one. Every tooth in your mouth has several important jobs – along with helping you eat and speak, each of your teeth maintain a place in your smile and stimulate and support the jawbone.
Choosing not to replace a missing tooth or teeth can result in multiple problems such as:
When a tooth is missing, neighboring teeth will eventually shift to move in and take its place. This can cause misalignment, gaps, tissue damage, and other problems.
Besides the oral health implications of missing teeth, you will also be self-conscious about your incomplete smile.
Is a Dental Bridge Right for You?
There are many reasons a person may lose a tooth, and it matters to your Fort Lauderdale dentist why your tooth is missing. If you have severe gum disease that has begun to cause tooth loss, you won’t be able to replace your teeth with dental bridges or any other restoration until the infection is cleared up and your mouth is healthy again.
If you have had a tooth knocked out in an accident, a sporting match, or because of any blow to the mouth, your dentist will need to examine the area first to ensure the entire tooth has come out and there are no pieces remaining. Nearby teeth will also need to be checked for stability before recommendations about tooth replacement can be made.
When a tooth is extracted because it is too decayed to treat with root canal therapy, the area will need to heal properly before any dental restoration can occur, but a dental bridge is likely to be a viable option.
The location of the missing tooth will also affect whether you are a good candidate for a dental bridge. It may be necessary to consider other restoration options, like dental implants or dentures.
Get Dental Bridges from Your Fort Lauderdale Dentist
Dental bridges are affordable, subtle, minimally invasive, and secure. With proper care, this solution can last for decades. Schedule a consultation with Premier Smile Center in Fort Lauderdale, Florida to find out if a dental bridge is right for you.