Sometimes, your dental health can be hard to keep up with. Teeth wear out and succumb to the effects of decay and years of chewing with them. Accidents also happen. Despite your best efforts, tooth loss may be a reality you’re currently dealing with.
Fortunately, you don’t have to be resigned to the fate of wearing dentures. Fixed dental bridges are great for filling in the gap and keeping your smile young and vibrant. A dental bridge is just one of the many fantastic dental restorations available at Asiri Family Dentistry.
Why You Should Replace Missing Teeth
If a missing tooth has you hiding your smile behind your hand in shame, then there’s no question that you’d love to have a new tooth.
Teeth are constantly on the move. They naturally drift forward towards the front of the mouth. If a tooth is lost, that leaves behind an empty gap. The remaining teeth behind it will shift forward to fill in gap but they can’t do so neatly, so they tend to tip over. As they shift position, they’ll also lose their comfortable fit with the opposing teeth they bite against.
These misalignment issues can lead to uncomfortable bite problems. Additionally, food can more easily pack around the teeth on either side of the gap and cause gum irritation. Tipped over teeth become more prone to disease and are very difficult to treat once they develop cavities. In short, one missing tooth can create a whole host of problems!
Your best option is to brace up the teeth around the gap to keep them in a healthy position. You can do this by spanning the gap and replacing the missing tooth with a dental bridge.
Cleaning and Caring for Dental Bridges
There are already many people in The Woodlands who are enjoying life with their dental bridges. A bridge could make a positive impact on your life, too. However, you do need be aware of and prepared for the responsibility of having a dental bridge.
You might have to work a little harder to keep your bridge clean and healthy than you otherwise would for your natural teeth. One reason for this is that the abutment teeth (those supporting the bridge via crowns) are partially blocked off. You can’t easily floss their inner sides.
In addition, the underside of the bridge is designed to fit snugly against the gums. This is a good thing since it looks more natural this way. But on the downside, you’ll have a tough time getting floss or a toothbrush under there to remove the food debris and bacteria that pack in.
The good news is that there are special tools that can help you keep your bridge clean. These include:
As long as you’re disciplined enough to clean your dental bridge every day, it will serve you well for years.
The Woodlands Dental Bridge Solutions
Dental bridges are a great solution to the embarrassment and health problems caused by missing teeth. To find out whether bridges are the right tooth replacement solution for you, contact our team at Asiri Family Dentistry. We’re currently welcoming new patients!