What Hewitt Patients Should Know Before Getting a Dental Bridge
Once you lose a permanent tooth, a lot of changes happen in your mouth and day-to-day routine. You may hide your smile because of that noticeable missing tooth gap or feel discomfort while chewing. There are many advanced dental solutions at Ace Dental of Hewitt for tooth loss, and one of them is a dental bridge. Read on to learn how this treatment works and what you should know before proceeding with it.
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How Does a Dental Bridge Replace Missing Teeth?
A dental bridge is a fixed replacement option. It may be an option when you are missing one or more teeth, depending on your oral health and the type of bridge. The replacement teeth that fill the gap (pontics) are held in place with the support of your neighboring teeth (abutments).
Basically, it “bridges” the gap in your teeth. Since a dental bridge is completely fixed onto your teeth, you can talk and chew with greater ease than you would with a removable denture.
Things to Know Before Getting a Dental Bridge
Here are a few things our Hewitt dentist wants you to know if you’re considering this option:
Your neighboring teeth are permanently altered
This is the most important thing to understand about the dental bridge process. Your teeth next to the gap have to be trimmed. Our dentist removes a thin enamel layer, just enough so that the bridge fits and aligns with your bite without feeling bulky.
It’s an irreversible change for those teeth. Feel free to discuss this with our dentist if you feel concerned.
The abutment teeth should be healthy
A dental bridge is only as good as the teeth supporting it. We’ll check your abutment teeth and make sure they’re fit to anchor the bridge. If they have cavities or other significant issues, we’ll address them before moving on to bridge preparation.
The treatment takes more than one visit
Traditional dental bridges usually require at least two visits. The first is for preparing your abutment teeth and taking impressions.
You don’t go without teeth during this time. We provide a temporary bridge. On the next visit, we check the fit of your custom bridge before cementing it into place.
Daily cleaning might be tricky at first
Dental bridges sit as a fixed unit. You can’t slide floss in between the artificial teeth. In the first few days, you may find it a little bit challenging to clean around and under a bridge.
Don’t worry. Our team will guide you on using the right tools and techniques. You can ace them with daily practice!
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To Sum It Up
Dental bridges are a great option for tooth replacement, especially if you’re missing one or more consecutive teeth. Since it’s a long-term investment, it helps to know what you can expect. Our team at Ace Dental of Hewitt is here to guide you and answer all your dental concerns so that you make the best decision for your oral health. Call us today!
Medically Reviewed
Aditi Gupta, D.D.S.
Dr. Aditi Gupta is a renowned family dentist, specializing in general, restorative and cosmetic dentistry at ACE Dental with 9 locations across central Texas. She has been an esteemed practitioner for over 12 years and earned her board certification from the American Board of General Dentistry as well as memberships in both the American Dental Association and Texas Dental Association.