Dental Bridges Treatment Process
When you’re missing one or more of your natural teeth, it can dramatically affect your smile. Jackson cosmetic dentist Danny O’Keefe has more than 35 years of experience restoring the health and beauty of his patients' smiles, and offers a variety of the latest dental options for replacing missing teeth. A dental bridge is a potentially ideal treatment for patients who are missing teeth.
What Is a Dental Bridge?
When teeth are missing, neighboring teeth tend to shift out of position and toward the empty space; this can harm the appearance of your smile and impair your ability to chew and speak. To solve these problems, Dr. O'Keefe often recommends dental bridges. A dental bridge is a dental restoration used to “bridge” the gap left by missing teeth, and consists of one or more replacement teeth supported on either end by dental crowns attached either to a patient’s natural teeth or dental implants. Aside from being comfortable and aesthetically pleasing, dental crowns help to preserve your oral health.
Types of Dental Bridges
There are two basic types of dental bridges: fixed and removable. A fixed dental bridge is held in place with dental crowns and cannot be removed by hand. A removable dental bridge is held securely in place by metal clasps. Dental bridges are highly versatile and can be used to replace missing front or back teeth.
What to Expect During Dental Bridges Treatment
Before a fixed dental bridge can be placed, Dr. O’Keefe must first carefully prepare the teeth adjacent to the gap where teeth are missing. A small amount of material must be removed from these teeth in order to accommodate the crowns that will support the prosthetic tooth. At this stage, an impression is taken of the area so that a dental bridge can be crafted according to precise specifications, thus ensuring a comfortable fit. Temporary crowns will be placed to prevent damage from occurring while the bridge is being crafted. Once the bridge has been custom crafted, the patient returns to the office so that Dr. O’ Keefe can place the restoration and ensure that it fits properly and blends seamlessly with the surrounding natural teeth. With proper care, dental bridges can last for years.
Implant-supported Bridges
Traditional dental bridges are a highly effective treatment for missing teeth and have been for many years. However, for patients who wish to regain all of the freedom and control they had with their original teeth, dental implants may provide a superior solution. Dr. O’Keefe has successfully restored the smiles of many of our Jackson patients using dental implants. The most durable, stable, and true-to-life method of replacing missing teeth currently available, dental implants are titanium posts that are surgically placed in the jaw, where they act as artificial tooth roots. Because the human body does not recognize titanium as a foreign substance, these posts fuse with the jawbone, essentially becoming part of the patient's natural anatomy. Once the implants have integrated with the jawbone, they can be used to support dental crowns, dental bridges, or even a full set of dentures. Dental implants are, simply stated, the strongest and most reliable treatment for missing teeth, fully restoring the look, feel, and function of natural teeth to a patient's mouth.
Learn More about Dental Bridges
If you are missing one or more of your natural teeth, we encourage you to contact our Jackson cosmetic dentistry practice to learn more about our quality dental bridges today. Dr. O'Keefe and his team would welcome the opportunity to meet you and help you to have the radiant, healthy smile you deserve.
