Why Replace a Lost Tooth with a Dental Bridge in Houston

Dental bridges are one of the best options for replacing a lost tooth. Teeth may be removed from the mouth for a number of reasons, including decay, accident, or on the recommendation of a dentist. When the tooth comes out, it leaves a gap that some people may find unappealing.

This gap may be unappealing to the patient as it makes them feel self conscious, but that gap can actually pose a different, more serious problem.

What Happens When a Tooth is Lost?

Everyone knows what it’s like to lose a tooth. When they are growing up, children seem to lose teeth all the time. So why is it such a big deal if an adult tooth comes out?

Granted, there’s no extra tooth to replace an adult tooth, which means the gap stays. When a child loses a tooth naturally, it will be replaced by an adult tooth.

But the presence of the gap is a problem for a different reason. When there is a missing tooth, the other teeth will begin shifting position to close that gap. And it’s not just the teeth on either side; a tooth directly above a gap may start to lower its position.

The major problem with this, aside from being self conscious about the appearance of the shifted teeth, is that this can lead to an uneven bite and gum disease.

How Can This Problem Be Corrected?

There are a few ways to address a gap in the teeth. The first way is to use a spacer. Second, dentures can be used to replace several lost teeth. Lastly, dental bridges can replace a tooth with a more permanent fixture.

●     Spacer
A spacer is a very low cost way to address a tooth gap. Like the name implies, it leaves the space of the gap between the adjacent teeth.

The spacer is typically made from a metal frame and it prevents the other teeth from shifting around it.

●     Dentures
Dentures are great for replacing several teeth for a relatively low cost. However, there is a lot of extra maintenance that comes with them.

Dentures are a temporary fixture in the sense that they can’t stay in your mouth all the time. They must be removed to be properly cleaned, or they may breed bacteria and cause an infection.

●     Dental Bridges
Dental bridges are the best tooth replacement because they not only look and feel like your original teeth, they are also a more permanent fixture than dentures.

Once a dental bridge is installed, it stays there. It may need a replacement 15 or 20 years later, but it doesn’t need to be removed to be cleaned. It can be taken care of simply by brushing your teeth as normal.

Dental Bridges in Houston

When you are looking to get dental bridges in Houston, your Houston dentist will need to prepare your teeth for one.

This involves filing down the teeth adjacent to a gap that will serve as anchor points for the bridge.

Next, a cast is created so the dental lab can make a false tooth and crowns that will perfectly fit your mouth. You will receive a temporary bridge in the meantime while the permanent bridge is created.

On your return visit, your Houston dentist will install the bridge and make sure it fits securely and comfortably. If so, it will be cemented into place, and you’re new dental bridge will be done!

Bridge the Gap of a Lost Tooth with a Bridge Treatment

            When we’re young, losing a tooth can be an exciting time. It might be surprising the first time it happens, but a lot of times our parent would tell us to put it under our pillow and we’d find money in the tooth’s place. As a kid, this can be very exciting. After the permanent tooth replaces the baby tooth, we do our best to keep the permanent teeth in place by taking good care of them. Sometimes, a permanent tooth may fall out due to an accident or poor care, but a bridge treatment can make it like the tooth was never lost.

            Types of Bridge Treatments

            There are three types of bridge treatments to replace lost teeth. The most common treatment is the traditional bridge treatment which sets a false tooth in between two capped teeth. The teeth adjacent to the gap are filed down to accommodate caps which support a metal or ceramic bridge, the middle of which supports the pontic, or false tooth.

            Cantilever bridges are are necessary if there is only one tooth adjacent to the lost one. They are uncommon and are also not recommended for use at the end of a teeth array, as the pressure from chewing toward the back of your mouth is very strong and can more easily break the bridges.

            For people who do not wish to file down adjacent teeth to support a bridge, resin bonded bridges (or Maryland bridges) can be used instead. The false tooth itself contains the metal or porcelain framework and the tooth is bonded to adjacent teeth using a resin to secure it in place.

            Getting a Bridge Treatment

            There are two parts to getting a bridge: preparation and installation. On the first visit for a bridge treatment, your mouth will be prepared for the framework. The teeth adjacent to a gap will be filed down so that a crown can be placed over them. A casting of your mouth will be used to help the lab created a bridge that will snuggly and securely fit your teeth once they have been prepared.

            The bridge construction can take a few weeks to properly build, so you’ll be given a temporary bridge in the meantime. On your second visit, the temporary bridge will be removed and the permanent bridge will be installed. Most of the time, patients will be all set after this second visit, but sometimes it is necessary to come back again to adjust the fit and make sure it is secure.