Bristol dentists replace lost teeth with dental bridges
Replacing a lost tooth or teeth is vital to secure the long term health of your mouth. Having a gap in your smile can lead to a loss of confidence if you find that you are embarrassed about smiling in social situations. Eating and drinking can become painful and the teeth surrounding the gap might begin to shift. If you have lost a number of teeth your cheeks might sag, making you look older than you are. Whether you have lost a tooth through an accident, dental decay or gum disease, dental bridges provide the answer. There are three types of dental bridge, the most common being the traditional or fixed variety. Here a false tooth, known as a pontic, is affixed between two crowns which themselves are anchored to neighbouring teeth. This is avery stable method an ideal if you have lost one tooth. In cases where one of your front teeth has been lost a plastic pontic will be used in a process called resin-bonded or Maryland-bonded bridges. This method ensures that your smile looks as natural as possible by concealing the resin. You might need a cantilever bridge if it is decided that the pontic can only be fused to a tooth on one side because your front teeth are liable to experience stress. To make sure that the bridge and pontic will have enough room your dentist might shave off a little of an existing tooth. Using a mould that has been taken of your mouth, technicians in a specialist lab will fabricate a replacement which will be attached with dental cement. While you wait for this, to keep the area protected, you will wear a temporary bridge. Contact your Bristol dentist if you have lost a tooth and want to find out more about the dental bridge work which can provide you with a lasting solution.Tags: dental bridge, dental decay, gum disease, lost teeth
