Dental Bridge Candidates
Missing teeth can pose a number of problems for a person. In a sense, you can break it down into two kinds: problems with the appearance of the smile and problems with dental health.
As for the appearance of the smile, missing teeth will greatly diminish the overall beauty and appearance of a smile. People tend to be self-conscious about the appearance of their smile when missing a tooth or multiple teeth. Many times, you may find yourself covering your mouth while you speak or laugh, even around people you’ve known for years.
And as for dental health, you’ll probably notice some difficulty eating certain foods that you used to enjoy. In addition to this, bone density might slowly diminish in the spot where the tooth is missing. Gum recession is also common in the area of the tooth gap. Over time, the teeth surrounding the tooth gap will shift out of place, and this misalignment can lead to a number of issues for you down the road.
It’s for this reason that people come to the Philadelphia cosmetic dentistry practice of Dr. Richard S. Tobey, Jr. During a consultation with Dr. Tobey, your dental health and dental history will be assessed in order to determine the best possible treatment for you and your needs. In many cases, people with missing teeth will qualify for dental bridges.
A dental bridge is a removable dental restoration that helps bridge the gap between teeth when teeth are missing. A dental bridge is held in place by using the adjacent teeth as support.
The best candidates for dental bridges are people who are missing multiple teeth but have enough remaining teeth adjacent to the tooth gap to secure the bridge in place. If a patient is missing many teeth, then dentures may be a better option for that patient.
One option to consider when it comes to dental bridges is implant dentistry. This means the surgical placement of Philadelphia dental implants. Dental implants are artificial tooth roots that are used to secure a restoration such as a dental crown, a dental bridge, or dentures. The dental implants are surgically placed so that they are anchored into the jawbone and soft tissues of the mouth. This allows for the dental implants to integrate with the structures of your mouth and ensure the most secure hold possible.
If you were to get dental implants to secure a dental bridge, the dental implants themselves would be used to hold the bridge in place rather than the structure of the adjacent teeth. Some people may not be good candidates for dental implants due to issues of bone density and gum recession. Sometimes a grafting procedure for bone or soft tissue will improve a person’s chances of getting dental implants, though this may not be the case for all patients.
If you would like to learn more about dental bridges and your many other options for expert dental treatment, contact our Philadelphia cosmetic dentistry practice today.