Losing a tooth or multiple teeth can be a significant setback, affecting your confidence to smile and your ability to chew comfortably. Though there are different means, dental bridges have proven to be one of the most efficient and long-lasting methods to restore your smile’s cosmetic and functional values. However, there are so many choices in the market.
How do you know whether a dental bridge is right for you, and when is the best time to think about it? To answer this, understanding the main determinants of the most appropriate time to use dental bridges is important. The following information will answer whether this natural-looking, long-lasting restoration can fill the gap in your smile and restore your oral health, and when to get it.
You Miss One or Two Teeth in a Row
As you look at the range of available treatments to fill in the gaps left by missing teeth, dental bridges can often be a top-quality option, especially when you have two or more adjacent missing teeth. Any dental bridge’s long-term stability and overall success will depend on establishing strong and dependable anchor points. The latter provides the perfect structural framework to serve as a bridge to the gap where your teeth once were and fully replace both the functionality and the beauty.
Consider the commonly used architectural idea of building a bridge over a river to make you comprehend this restorative solution. In this analogy, the false tooth, or rather the pontic, is the main deck of your bridge, exactly replacing the missing gap in your dental arch. Most importantly, your natural, healthy teeth on both sides of this space act as the support towers that are strong and irreplaceable. These neighboring teeth are the abutment teeth. Your dentist will carefully shape them to receive custom-made crowns and prepare them for their crucial role. These accurately fitted crowns are then firmly cemented to your abutment teeth, creating a stable base that securely holds the pontic in place, effectively bridging the gap in your smile.
However, a dental bridge, as effective as it can be in most cases, may not necessarily be the best answer to the dental needs of each particular person. For example, if your missing teeth are in non-adjacent locations in your mouth, in other words, the missing teeth were not adjacent to each other but somewhat scattered across your mouth, you would most likely need multiple individual bridges to fill each space or, more likely, a removable partial denture. In the same way, when you have a long consecutive gap with several missing teeth, fitting a conventional bridge may put too much strain and leverage on your anchor teeth. This is a considerable amount of stress that may jeopardize the bridge’s long-term stability and durability. This is not an advisable or practical choice for these large edentulous spaces. Your dentist will carefully consider these factors to prescribe the most appropriate measures for you.
The Teeth on Both Sides of the Gap are Healthy and Sound
A dental bridge’s effectiveness depends on the health of each side of the gap. These are important teeth, also called abutment or anchor teeth, and they have an essential role to play.
They do not merely have to support themselves. They have to be strong enough to resist the full impact of the chewing action and the weight of the pontic (the substitute tooth or teeth) that your bridge carries. Their condition is the most crucial structural prerequisite of a long-term and successful dental bridge.
To provide a reliable anchor, an abutment tooth must be structurally sound, free from decay or extensive restorations that may compromise its inner structure. Equally, big pre-existing fillings would weaken the tooth to the extent that it is not ideal as an abutment. Moreover, severe periodontal (gum) disease is a huge warning sign, which can dissolve the bone that the tooth is anchored on, compromising its support. When an abutment tooth is damaged in one or more of these ways, it cannot adequately support the strains of a bridge. Using a weakened tooth as an anchor significantly raises the chances of the bridge breaking prematurely or damaging your natural teeth even more.
One of your fears about having a dental bridge is the preparation procedure of these essential anchor teeth. Your dentist must carefully restore the abutment teeth to provide a firm, stable, smooth fit. This is done by carefully shaving a small portion of enamel. This exact reduction will give the required space to the custom-made crowns, fitted over them. These crowns are the critical elements to ensure the whole bridge is well anchored. Though a significant step, this planning is essential to ensure that the bridge fits right in your mouth, will work well as you chew, and will merge perfectly with your current smile. This meticulous redesign enables the bridge to become part and parcel of your bite, which in the long run plays a significant role in the durability and overall success of your restoration.
You Would Rather Take a Non-Surgical, Faster Treatment Route
The rapidity and non-invasiveness of a dental bridge are significant advantages that appeal to many people who need to replace one or more of their missing teeth. The whole procedure of getting a dental bridge is usually done relatively quickly. It could take only two to three weeks and two convenient dental visits. This comparatively rapid recovery process implies that you can anticipate the pleasure of having a wonderfully rebuilt smile and a considerably enhanced ability to chew in a very brief time. In contrast to other alternatives, you can avoid the months-long wait required for different procedures to deliver results.
The alternative to bridges is a dental implant. Although it is a great alternative and in many cases a better long-term option, a dental implant requires a surgical procedure during which it is inserted directly into your jawbone. This surgical nature predetermines the fact that the whole process, including the initial insertion of the implants and the final installation of the crown, may take several months. This longer period is essential and unavoidable because it is required to ensure that the surgical site heals correctly and that osseointegration, the biological fusion of implant and bone, occurs properly. Osseointegration ensures the titanium implant becomes fused with your surrounding bone.
When a patient suffers from surgical anxiety as a frequent and rational fear or when they have some pre-existing medical conditions that may be predisposed to surgical risks inherently, a dental bridge is a highly viable alternative. Moreover, to those whose primary interest lies in having a quick answer to their missing teeth and returning to normal functioning as soon as possible, a dental bridge offers a convenient and quick way back to the world of a smile with no invasive surgical procedures involved. This leads to faster cosmetic and functional results, and you can resume eating, speaking, and smiling with confidence much sooner than you could with an implant.
It is a simple, opportune, and less intimidating remedy to a prevalent dental complication.
Your Jawbone Health Limits Implants
It is well known that dental implants represent a very effective and long-lasting method of replacing lost teeth. However, the long-term success of dental implants hinges on one critical biological aspect, the process of osseointegration. This term describes the direct fusion of the implant post, which is surgically implanted into your jawbone, with surrounding bone tissue. This combination is necessary to build a stable and firm base that cannot be chewed easily. There must be enough healthy and compact jawbone to have this successful integration.
The unfortunate fact is that after a tooth has been extracted, a serious problem can often occur, resulting in a loss of bone. The underlying jawbone, which previously had received a natural stimulation through the tooth’s root, begins to resorb. This will cause natural and often considerable bone loss over time. This loss of bone volume and density can directly affect the possibility of a dental implant being placed, as sufficient bone tissue may not allow the implant to integrate correctly.
When you, as a patient, happen to be in a scenario where you do not have adequate volume or density of jawbones to support an implant, and you are unwilling or medically unfit to undergo bone grafting to add the bone, in this case, a dental bridge is often a highly effective alternative. One of the significant benefits of a dental bridge is that it does not need direct bone integration. Instead, they are completely supported by your healthy, nearby natural teeth.
Although a bridge is a good way to solve the immediate issue of the lost tooth, it is imperative to know one long-term factor: that the pontic, the suspended false tooth, does not directly stimulate the jawbone below, so a bit of bone resorption in that particular region will occur over time.
It is a logical effect of the lack of stimulation, and it is a crucial consideration and aspect you must discuss with your dentist when making the most appropriate choice of restoration that you will most likely use in your individual case.
Your Primary Objective is to Stop the Shifting of Teeth and Restore Function
In addition to the direct aesthetic benefit, replacing a missing tooth usually becomes more than a cosmetic procedure. Instead, it is essential to keep your oral health intact. Ignoring a missing tooth in your smile is a catalyst for an adverse domino effect in your mouth, and a series of issues that go far beyond the cosmetic.
Take the case of a lost tooth. The neighboring teeth, which are now deprived of their absent neighbor’s important support and contact, can start tilting and drifting towards the gap. This undesirable displacement may interfere with the natural position of your dental arch. At the same time, the opposite tooth in the other jaw, having nothing to bite on or come into contact with, will begin to over-erupt, and may continue to erupt further out of its socket. This phenomenon is your body trying to seek something to bite on, but it only results in more complications.
This significant tooth movement may result in a crooked bite, also called malocclusion. Malocclusion is not a mere inconvenience. It could also result in long-term pain, unnecessary excess pressure on your jaw joints, potentially leading to temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders, and even complicate the maintenance of adequate oral hygiene. Misaligned teeth make it more difficult to brush and floss, so you are more likely to develop plaque, cavities, and gum disease.
A dental bridge takes the initiative to avoid these unwanted tooth movements, as a dental bridge is considered an essential filler that maintains the integrity of your bite and the alignment of your other teeth.
Moreover, a bridge instantly makes it possible to chew food on a normal level, and you will be able to eat many more different foods without experiencing discomfort. It also assists you in speaking clearly without impediment and deals with possible lisping or whistling that may arise with gaps. A bridge will help preserve your facial structure and support everyday functions like eating and speaking. It will significantly enhance your quality of life, both in the short term with immediate functional advantages and in the long term with protective measures for oral health.
Find a Dental Bridge Expert Near Me
Dental bridges are an efficient and beautiful way to replace missing teeth and regain the functionality and look of your smile. The choice to have or not to have a dental bridge usually boils down to a few factors: the quantity and location of the missing teeth, the condition of the surrounding natural teeth, and your oral hygiene in general. They are an excellent option for those seeking a fixed, durable solution that can help avoid the movement of other teeth and preserve the facial structure.
Ultimately, nothing can tell you better whether a dental bridge is the right solution for your needs than talking to a dental specialist. They will be able to evaluate your personal needs, inform you about all possible options, and make an informed decision corresponding to your oral health objectives.
Whether you are considering getting a dental bridge or want to find a dentist who can explain all your choices regarding replacing your teeth, do not hesitate to contact The Lakewood Dentist for a personalized consultation. Book an appointment today by contacting us at 562-423-1441 and get started on your way to a healthy, confident smile.