Working to help keep your teeth as healthy and as strong as possible is one of the modern dentist’s most important functions. We do whatever we can to keep your natural teeth in place, and will try a variety of different treatments in order to do so. Sometimes, however, despite our best efforts, you will need to have a tooth extracted. Should that day come, it is important to understand the importance of quickly deciding upon a replacement tooth and having it placed. There are a variety of options from which to choose, however dental bridges are one of the most common and most effective solutions that many people select for this particular issue.
What is a dental bridge?
When you have to have a tooth extracted, you are left with an empty space in your remaining teeth. If you had just one tooth extracted, for example, then you will likely have an empty spot between two natural teeth. A bridge, then, is a dental device that works to “bridge” that empty space and ensure that your smile remains as natural and as healthy as possible. To be a bit more specific, a dental bridge consists of a few different parts. First of all, each tooth immediately next to the empty space will need to have a cap placed on it. This is to strength the teeth and help them support the replacement tooth, which will eventually be affixed to the two caps.
Why do I need a dental bridge?
Over time, the empty space in your mouth caused by a missing tooth can cause a variety of dental problems that will need to be addressed. Eventually, for example, the remaining teeth in your mouth might begin to spread out and expand into their newfound room.
This can cause significant issues with your bite, and you might find it harder to eat, chew, and swallow. Furthermore, without a tooth to hold in place, the jawbone that surrounded the tooth in question might begin to degrade, which could cause even more problems for your remaining teeth. The best option is to quickly place a replacement tooth to keep your smile natural and to keep the rest of your teeth in place.
How long does it take to place a dental bridge?
In order to place a dental bridge, you must first have the two caps that will be placed (one each of the surrounding teeth) specially made to fit your teeth. That means that we will take molds of your teeth and then send them off to a lab. When they come back to our office, we can typically affix them onto your teeth and then connect the replacement tooth to the caps. That means that it will probably take two visits to place your bridge, but it might be more than that if we run into any unexpected issues.
Are you curious about dental bridges and how they can help you meet your dental goals? Contact us at 662-489-7768! We are happy to answer your questions.
