Dental bridges are a great way to replace missing teeth. Your existing teeth are used to literally create a bridge across the area where your tooth is missing. Bridges are made from gold, metal, alloys or porcelain to ensure that they are strong and durable.
The process of creating a bridge begins by creating abutments out of your existing teeth where the bridge will be attached. The existing teeth are re-contoured to provide a base for the bridge. After the abutments have been created, an impression is taken of the area, which is sent to a dental lab. The lab is able to use the impression to create a bridge that will fit properly and feel as close to your natural teeth as possible. The bridge consists of two crowns on either end to place on the abutments and a pontic, which is the new tooth that replaces your missing tooth.
We will fit you with a temporary bridge while we wait for the lab to craft your permanent bridge. This will protect the abutments and the exposed gum areas and look more appealing than having a missing tooth. When the permanent bridge has been created, you will have a follow up visit to set the bridge. It will be placed on the abutments and the dentist will then use an adhesive to make sure that the bridge is set.
If you are missing a tooth, you should strongly consider having it replaced. Besides the aesthetic disadvantage of missing a tooth, it could also cause structural changes to your mouth and jaw as well as making it difficult to eat or speak properly. Set up an appointment today to restore your smile.
Dentures are a replacement for missing teeth that can be removed and put back into your mouth as you please. Depending on each individual patient case, they may receive full or partial dentures. Full dentures are used when all of the natural teeth are removed from the mouth and replaced with a full set of dentures. There are two types of full dentures:
Partial dentures are used to replace some, but not all, of the teeth in one jaw.
Your dentures may take some time to get used to. The flesh colored base of the dentures is placed over your gums. Some people say that it feels bulky or that they don’t have enough room for their tongue. Other times, the dentures might feel loose. These feelings will affect the way your eat and talk for a little while. Over time, your mouth becomes trained to eat and speak with your dentures, and they begin to feel more and more like your natural teeth. They may never feel perfectly comfortable, but it is much better than the alternative of not having teeth.
Even though dentures are not real teeth, you should still care for them like they are. You should brush them to remove plaque and food particles before removing your dentures. After they have been removed, you should place them directly into room temperature water or a denture cleaning solution. Never use hot water, because it could warp the dentures. Your dentures are delicate, so make sure you are careful when handling them so you don’t drop them. Also, never try to adjust your dentures yourself. You could ruin them, so you should always seek assistance from your dentist if they feel uncomfortable or loose.
Dental Implants are the new standard of care for replacing missing teeth. Replacing a tooth with an implant eliminates the need for involving adjacent teeth.
The entire implant process is performed over the course of a few months. We start by placing the implant virtually into your computer-simulated mouth, ensuring the best location within the bone and avoiding critical structures like nerves and sinuses. We then order an appliance that guides our instruments in placing the actual implant in exactly the same spot. This entire procedure takes less time than a routine cleaning.
The implant must be allowed about three to six months to heal, and during this time, the jawbone will form around the implant in a process called osseointegration. The top of the implant will be at or below the gumline, and you will not be aware of it during day-to-day activities.
After the implant has healed, it is time to place an abutment on the implant. The abutment serves as the base for your new tooth. Once this is placed, an impression of the abutment is taken and is used to create your permanent restoration. It usually takes three weeks for the crown to be made, at which time it is permanently glued to the abutment. Your smile will look just like it used to, and after a short period of getting used to the implant, it will feel just like one of your own teeth.