When you suffer from the loss of your natural teeth, these gaps could mean serious trouble for the health, function, and beauty of your smile. To address minor cases of missing teeth, then your Kansas City, MO, dentist will create a dental bridge supported with lifelike dental crowns. In today’s blog, we’re going to talk about how we replace missing teeth!
The Dangers of Your Missing Teeth
How does tooth loss impact the health and stability of your smile? Well, when you lose a tooth, this means an exposed gap is left behind in your smile, one that could allow surrounding teeth to drift from position and shift, causing misalignment. Poor alignment then increases the risk of associated complications like tooth decay and gum disease. The gaps also strain your jaw joints and upset bite balance, which makes the onset of TMJ disorder and bruxism (chronic teeth grinding) more likely. Missing teeth also complicate how clearly you can speak, or what foods you can enjoy!
Designing a Crown and Bridge
If you have a single lost tooth, or up to three in a row, then our team may suggest a custom-made prosthetic made from lifelike materials, such as ceramic. The prosthetic contains replacement teeth, known as pontics, with crowns connected to each end. We custom-make them based on detailed impressions and images we take of your smile. The ceramic is not only durable and able to absorb daily bite forces, but the material can also be color-matched to blend with your smile, and contains stain-resistant properties.
Placing Your New Smile
The first step involves removing structure from there natural teeth on either side of the gap in your smile, which we refer to as abutment teeth. We then take the digital images and impressions we mentioned above. When the prosthetic is ready, we place the crown portions on the abutment teeth, which firmly secures the pontics in place. You then have a complete smile, with a bridge that is ready to last 10 to 15 years on average and offer a lifelike appearance. To keep it strong, be sure you brush and floss daily, enjoy a healthy diet, and clean the spaces between the top of the gums and the bottom of the bridge. You should also see us every six months for a checkup and cleaning visit, so we can keep a close eye on your smile and prevent issues that compromise your natural teeth and your prosthetic, such as gum disease.
Do You Have Questions About Replacing Missing Teeth?
We want to help you enjoy a stronger and full smile again with a custom-made and lifelike prosthetic. Learn more about how we replace one or more lost teeth by scheduling an appointment by calling Plaza Family Dentistry in Kansas City, MO, at (816) 531-8000.
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