When you suffer from minor tooth loss, then we may help with the placement of a dental bridge. But what makes this prosthetic look so natural, and how do we custom-make them for our patients? In today’s blog, your Houston, TX, dentist talks about prosthetic dentistry and the placement of our dental bridges.
Custom Creation
Every smile is unique, and to ensure a balanced bite and prevent pressure from being placed on the jaw joints, you need a custom prosthetic. To begin, we want to take a look at your smile with digital imaging technology, so we can understand the extent of your tooth loss and the factors behind it. Along with replacing your lost teeth, we could treat any underlying oral health issues that threaten the rest of your smile. The images and measurements we gather will be used in a dental lab setting to create a custom prosthetic!
The Use of Ceramic
For a bridge, we will use ceramic. This material is very strong and durable, able to absorb daily bite forces and provide a dependable chewing surface for your smile. Ceramic is also translucent like tooth enamel, and we can shade it to blend with the rest of your smile. The bridge will consist of new teeth, or pontics, with dental crowns attached to each end. We remove structure from the abutment teeth on each side of the gap, and we attach the crowns to them. This fixes the new teeth in place, and your prophetic could provide up to 15 years of tooth replacement in some cases!
Support with Implants
We also have an alternative to the crown and abutment teeth option with dental implants. Instead of removing structure from the abutment teeth, we insert one to two dental implants into the jaw. We then attach the crowns to the implant posts! This preserves your natural teeth, and since the dental implants stimulate the growth of bone tissue and act as new roots, your bridge could last for decades, potentially even a lifetime. By addressing your missing teeth, you reduce the risk of complications eating and soaking, further tooth loss, and dental misalignment. You also avoid jaw joint disorders like TMD, and chronic teeth grinding (bruxism).
If you want to learn more about how we address one or more missing teeth with a custom and lifelike dental prosthetic, then contact our team today. We would love to help you gain a complete smile again, one that makes you feel proud!
TALK TO MMC DENTAL ABOUT PROSTHETIC DENTISTRY
We would love to help you enjoy a complete smile again with a prosthetic. For more information on replacing your lost teeth, then contact your Houston, TX, dentist, Dr. Chan, by calling 713-926-8896.