Bridges
Having one or more missing teeth can have a serious effect not only on your smile, but also on your dental health. Specifically, missing teeth can cause:
- Increased risk of tooth decay
- Increased risk of periodontal disease
- A shift in the alignment of your teeth?
- Loss of adjacent teeth
- Speech disorders
- Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ)
What Are Dental Bridges?
Dental bridges are used to replace a missing tooth, except bridges are supported by the teeth on either side called abutment teeth.
What Are the Benefits of Bridges?
Similar to cosmetic dental procedures, placing bridges also serves a restorative purpose. A dental bridge will improve your ability to chew and speak as well as smile. A study published in the Journal of the American Dental Association, dental bridges were shown to dramatically reduce the risk of losing teeth that are adjacent to a missing tooth. In addition, dental bridges can help keep your jaw and face from changing shape, as they often tend to do when a person has missing teeth.
What Types of Bridges Are There?
Traditional bridges are the most common, and literally bridge the gap of an empty tooth space by securing a false tooth using crowns on the teeth on either side.
Cantilever bridges are used to replace a tooth that does not have supporting teeth on both sides of the affected area.
Maryland bonded bridges include artificial teeth and gums, and are held in place by a metal frame and are only typically used in the front of the mouth.
How Are Dental Bridges Installed?
The procedure of placing a dental bridge is typically completed in two visits. First, the dentist will determine if you are a good candidate for a dental bridge. If you are, your teeth will need to be prepared by reshaping or reconstructing any badly decayed or damaged areas. Then, the dentist will take an impression of your teeth, which is then sent to a lab where it is cast into a mold. You will be given a temporary bridge to wear.
On your second visit, this bridge will be fitted to your teeth, and any necessary corrections or adjustments will be made and the bridge will be glued to the teeth permanently.
How Long Do Dental Bridges Last?
Dental bridges can last from 10 to 25 years if you maintain good oral hygiene by brushing and flossing regularly.
Are Bridges Covered By My Dental Insurance?
Dental bridges are typically partially covered by insurers. The amount of coverage will vary by insurance company.
Crowns
Have your tooth restored to its original size and shape.
Prevent the need for additional procedures, like root canals.
Prevents breaking of the teeth and subsequent loss of the tooth.
Supply additional physical support for the treated tooth.
Get a complete “makeover” on the affected tooth.
For cases like these, a crown is often the most logical solution.
While onlays and inlays cover the chewing surface of the tooth and fillings fill in the empty interior space of the tooth, crowns completely cover every visible part of the tooth – which is why they are often referred to as “caps.” A part of your tooth is retained but is essentially “rebuilt” to resemble the tooth at its exterior best.
While porcelain crowns enhance the look of a tooth or multiple teeth, it is recommended only in conjunction with prior repair of the tooth – not simply for cosmetic purposes.
Root canals
Root damage is generally caused by tooth decay or shock, pulp or nerve tissue damage can be an excruciating experience, with symptoms including pain while chewing, sensitivity and inflammation. When left untreated, pulp damage can lead to abscesses, or pus-filled infections, and eventually to tooth loss or worse.
Endodontics, or root canal therapy, is a type of dentistry that addresses the treatment of dental pulp damage and is the most effective manor of addressing the pain and saves the tooth. During a root canal procedure, infected nerve tissue is cleaned and replaced with filler to prevent further infection. With proper anesthesia, root canal therapy can be a pain free process and is really no different than a tooth filling as we just go deeper into the tooth.
At Rockville Dental Arts, we are experts in root canal therapy and take every measure to ensure our patients’ maximum comfort throughout the procedure. If you are experiencing tooth pain, sensitivity or swelling, it is important to act quickly, not only to relieve your pain, but also to save the tooth from further decay.
