Losing a front tooth can be a serious matter. While it may not be necessary to have the tooth to eat and live normally, you might feel self-conscious about the gap in your smile. Plus, when a front tooth is missing, other front teeth can shift, and that can harm your smile even further. A good solution for your missing tooth might be a cosmetic dental bridge. Here's why you should consider getting a bridge and a look at what's involved in the process.
A Dental Bridge Gives You Reason To Smile
If you're embarrassed about your missing tooth, you may try to hide your smile, and that might make you seem shy or unapproachable. When you're happy about the way your teeth look, you feel more confident so you can smile freely and appear more friendly.
The self-confidence boost you get from having a cosmetic dental bridge makes the procedure worthwhile, but you're also protecting your teeth for the long term since the bridge stops your other teeth from moving out of alignment.
If your teeth shift, they may be more difficult to clean and increase your risk of cavities. They may not close properly and affect how well you can chew. A bridge looks like a normal tooth, so you can smile, eat, and chew normally.
A Dental Bridge Replaces One Or More Teeth
A bridge can replace a single tooth or multiple teeth as long as the missing teeth were next to each other. The bridge needs a natural tooth on each end to attach to with crowns. A crown is placed on each end tooth so the bridge is held securely in place and able to chew and bite just as well as natural teeth.
Part of your natural enamel is removed before putting on the crown so the crown fits your mouth precisely. Because the teeth have to be shaped, your dentist may give you an anesthetic so you won't experience any discomfort. The bridge then attaches to your healthy teeth so there is no need for drilling or cutting into the gums.
A dental bridge is often a good choice for replacing a missing tooth or a few teeth that are missing in a row. A bridge is cheaper than getting an implant, and the bridge should last a long time and look natural.
A Dental Bridge Needs Regular Care
You should continue to practice good oral hygiene even though the replaced tooth isn't natural and won't get a cavity. Regular brushing and flossing are needed to prevent gum disease. If you develop gum disease around the healthy teeth that support the bridge, your smile won't be as pretty and the teeth might even get loose.
However, as long as you take good care of your teeth and keep your regular dental appointments, your gums and teeth holding the bridge have a good chance of staying healthy so you can maintain your pretty smile for many years. For more valuable information, visit a clinic like AQ Denture and Dental Implant Center.
Every time you take a bite of food, you should be grateful for your healthy teeth! A tooth can lose its health and structure quickly once decay sets in. Luckily, if you visit your dentist for regular appointments, the decay should not get too serious before your dentist notices it and can do something about it. That "something" is applying a filling. On the other hand, if the decay progresses too long before it is caught, you may need a crown or even an extraction.
We want to keep our teeth, and we know you want to keep yours. That's why we created this website to teach you more about dentists and dental care. Enjoy!