The Importance of Dental Bridges

A beautiful smile is aesthetically pleasing and plays a significant role in maintaining oral health. Missing teeth can not only impact your self-confidence but also affect your ability to chew properly and maintain the alignment of your remaining teeth. Dental bridges offer an effective solution to restore your smile, improve functionality, and maintain the overall health of your mouth. A dental bridge is a fixed dental restoration that replaces one or more missing teeth. It consists of artificial teeth, known as pontics, which are held in place by dental crowns or implants on either side of the gap created by the missing teeth. At SmileHere Family Dental, the pontics are custom-made to match your natural teeth' color, size, and shape, ensuring a seamless and natural appearance.

The Process of Getting a Dental Bridges

If your dentist determines that a bridge suits your case, the next step involves preparing the abutment teeth. The abutment teeth are the healthy teeth adjacent to the gap where the bridge will be placed. Your dentist will shape these teeth by removing a small portion of their enamel to make room for the dental crowns supporting the bridge. Once the abutment teeth are prepared, your dentist will take impressions of your teeth. These impressions provide a mold of your mouth to fabricate the dental bridge and ensure a precise fit. The impressions are sent to a dental laboratory where skilled technicians create customized bridges to match your natural teeth in size, shape, and color.

While your permanent bridge is being fabricated, your dentist may place a temporary bridge to protect the exposed teeth and gums. In your next visit, your dentist will remove the temporary bridge and check the fit and appearance of the permanent bridge. If adjustments are necessary, they will be made before permanently cementing the bridge in place. Your dentist will carefully place the bridge, ensuring it fits securely over the prepared abutment teeth. They will make any necessary adjustments to ensure a proper bite and comfortable fit.

The Benefits of Dental Bridges

Restoring Functionality

One of the primary advantages of dental bridges is their ability to restore the functionality of your teeth. Missing teeth can make it challenging to bite and chew properly, leading to difficulty eating certain foods and potentially causing digestive problems. Dental bridges fill the gap left by missing teeth, allowing for normal chewing and proper digestion and enhancing oral health.

Preserving Facial Structure and Appearance

Missing teeth can significantly impact your face's appearance, leading to a sunken or aged look. Dental bridges help maintain the natural shape of your face by preventing the collapse of the surrounding teeth and supporting the underlying bone structure. You can regain a youthful and vibrant appearance by restoring your smile with dental bridges.

Dental bridges play a vital role in restoring your smile, improving functionality, and maintaining the overall health of your mouth. If you have missing teeth, visit SmileHere Family Dental at 29522 Six Mile Rd, Ste A, Livonia, MI 48152, or call (734) 425-7888 to explore the option of dental bridges and regain your confident smile.