When we lose a tooth, this could lead to major changes to your smile’s health, alignment, and stability. In order to prevent these complications, we recommend replacing missing teeth as soon as possible. In today’s blog, your Mansfield, TX, dentists talk about how we replace lost teeth with a custom-made dental bridge.

The Complications of Tooth Loss

How does tooth loss impact our smile? Well, the gaps in our smile could lead to misalignment, as surrounding teeth start to drift from position due to the space in your smile. Along with the changes to your appearance, poor alignment has been linked to a greater risk of tooth decay and gum disease, as thorough brushing and flossing becomes more difficult. For others, the loss of one or more teeth could upset bite balance and place pressure on the jaw joints, boosting the risk of TMJ disorder and bruxism (teeth grinding), two jaw joint disorders linked to higher likelihood of damaged teeth, headaches and migraines, and pain in the jaw and face. Finally, the gaps in your smile could cause problems eating, and even issues communicating clearly.

Preserving Your Smile

To preserve your smile and prevent these serious complications, we may suggest placing a custom-made prosthetic as soon as possible. A dental bridge addresses between one and three teeth in a row. Once in place, this prevents the surrounding teeth from moving, and helps ensure you can continue to eat and speak without difficulty. The prosthetic can last between 10 and 15 years with proper care and attention, providing a long-lasting and dependable solution to minor tooth loss.

Creating Your Own Bridge

To create your new prosthetic, we need to first remove structure from teeth on either side of the gap in your smile. We then take a series of impressions, images, and measurements, which we use to design and craft the prosthetic. The bridge is created from strong and lifelike materials, such as ceramic, which is stain-resistant, translucent like tooth enamel, and able to be shaded to match the color of surrounding teeth. The bridge will consist of the new teeth, along with crowns attached to each end. We place the crowns on the prepared teeth to anchor the new ones firmly in place. Afterward, routine care, such a brushing and flossing, as well as regular visits for exams and cleanings, can help protect remaining natural teeth and ensure a long-lasting replacement option. If you have any questions, then please contact our team today.

Have You Lost A Tooth?

Don’t let tooth loss lead to major problems with the appearance and health of your smile, talk to our team about possible solutions with custom prosthetics. If you would like to schedule a consultation, then call Mansfield Dental Associates at 817-473-6227.