When you have gaps in your smile following the loss of more than one tooth, then a dental bridge could be possible. For greater stability and a success rate of 90% at the ten-year mark, we could support these dental prosthetics with one or more dental implants. In today’s blog, your Livonia, MI, dentist talks about our implant bridges.
More Advanced Tooth Loss
When you have one to four teeth missing in a row, we could fill this gap with a custom dental bridge. Otherwise, the gap could complicate how you eat and even limit you to softer foods. This could also impact how you speak, or cause embarrassment, in social situations. The gap could upset the balance of your bite, and this upset could mean the onset of jaw joint disorders like TMD or even bruxism (chronic teeth grinding). Misalignment could also develop as the teeth shift from position, the resulting misalignment leading to a higher risk of tooth decay and gum disease. To avoid these complications, treat the gap with a dental prosthetic.
Creating a Dental Bridge
To create one, we will take a close look at your smile and then take detailed digital images of your teeth. We use these images to design a 3D model of your smile, which we use in a lab setting to design and craft the prosthetic. The bridge will consist of replacement teeth, known as pontics, with dental crowns connected to each end. With a traditional one, we would attach the crowns to abutment teeth, removing structure from them to make this possible. However, this option only lasts about 10 to 15 years on average and needs to be replaced periodically. But with dental implants, we attach crowns to freestanding titanium posts instead, saving natural structure and also offering a prosthetic that lasts for several decades!
Securing Your New Roots
We will carefully examine your smile with digital x-rays and more to identify sinus cavities and nerve tissues, so we can choose the best angle and position of the posts to support your teeth. We then guide the placement of dental implants into the jaw, the biocompatible titanium posts bond with the jaw. We then connect the finished prosthetic. We shade the prosthetic to ensure your new teeth and crowns blend with the rest of your smile. So, your new teeth look good and fit comfortably! If you have any questions about treating missing teeth, then contact our team today.
Do You Have Gaps in Your Smile?
A full and stunning smile is always possible. To learn more about the benefits of dental implant bridges, then call James Stewart, DDS, dental implant office in Livonia, MI, at (734) 425-4400. We also serve the residents of Farmington, Plymouth, Dearborn Heights, and all surrounding communities.