If you missed a tooth, let me tell you it is not the end of the world because there are many ways to replace them.
Our dentist in Okotoks offers dental bridges to improve smiles with missing teeth. Keep on reading to find out about their advantages.
What are Dental Bridges?
A dental bridge is an oral device that consists of a fake tooth (the pontic) and a dental crown on each side. So, it has three units (but it is a single piece).
Depending on the number of teeth you are missing, there can be more or fewer dental crowns and pontics.
Our dental bridges in Okotoks are excellent when you lose a dental piece with damaged neighboring teeth. For preparing the latter for dental crowns, it is necessary to shave down their enamel (to make room for them). So if you have healthy adjacent dental pieces, your doctor will need to remove their dental structure. In some cases, even though it is not ideal, there is no other option (for example, when the patient does not want a dental implant).
What to Expect from the Procedure?
After you find a dentist near you who is an expert with dental bridges, you must schedule a consultation appointment to determine if you qualify for them. You may discuss costs and expectations during this visit.
During the treatment, your doctor will administer a local anesthetic to numb the area. Removing enamel and dentin from your teeth is painful; hence, our doctors always anesthetize before preparing teeth for dental bridges.
Then, they will file down the dental structure to make room for the oral device. Next, your dentist will take a mold of your mouth for the bridge and place a temporary one.
Manufacturing the dental bridge takes about two weeks. A dental technician will do it, and you will visit your doctor when it is ready.
In a second appointment, they will fit the bridge and cement it permanently. Taking care of it is essential to prevent damage. We will discuss it further.
The Benefits of a Dental Bridge
If you acquire dental bridges near you, you will enjoy the following benefits:
- Look good – Your smile will finally look beautiful! No more gaps between teeth.}
- Eat and speak correctly – If you miss one or many teeth, you probably struggle during mealtime. With your teeth replaced, you will be able to pronounciate
- Keep your teeth in their place – When you lose a tooth, the neighboring teeth shift towards space. Also, the antagonist dental piece (the one in the opposite jaw) protrudes. All of this causes misalignments and oral issues.
Take Care of Your Dental Bridges
Dental bridges don’t last forever. A bridge may last up to 15 years, sometimes more (when the patient is strict with keeping the instructions).
For extending the life of it, you must:
- Brush your teeth – twice a day with fluoride toothpaste for at least two minutes each time. It will remove dental plaque and prevent it from accumulating around the bridge.
- Floss daily – We suggest flossing your dentition once a day. Keep in mind that the bridge is a single unit; hence, there is no space between the dental crowns and the pontic. In these cases, flossing is tricky. We advise using special devices, like water flossers.
- Avoid hard foods – And biting solid objects as well.
- Visit your dentist regularly – During checkups, they will evaluate the condition of the bridge, along with your oral health.