Losing a tooth can quickly disrupt your ability to enjoy your day. If you have recently lost a member of your smile, we could help you explore prosthetic options to replace your tooth. Without treatment, you could find many complications begin to develop. A gap in your grin can cause problems with speech since we use all of our oral structures to form our words. You might have to take certain favorite foods out of your diet to avoid hurting the sensitive open socket left behind. Because you must move your jaw in awkward positions to complete your bite, you can develop pain or stress in its joints. This could even lead to a condition called temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD). To stop dental loss in its tracks, give us a call so we can discuss your options and restore your bite.
At your Ankeny, IA, dental practice, we offer restorative dental care to replace missing teeth. Because every person’s bite is unique, you may prefer one treatment style over the other. In today’s blog, we will discuss the benefits of a dental bridge for filling the gap inside your smile. This option can replace one or more adjacent missing teeth in a row.
Threats To The Stability Of Your Smile
When you take the time to brush and floss each morning, you prevent dental plaque from accumulating on the surface of your smile. This is highly important because plaque contributes to multiple causes of dental damage. When oral bacteria feed, they produce acidic waste that can wear the protective enamel of each tooth. Over time, cavities form that can severely impact your healthy material. Left alone, this can advance to painful tooth infections or the need to extract the remaining portion of your tooth.
Oral bacteria also cause gum infections that wear away at the tissue connecting your teeth to your jawbone. In fact, this is the primary cause of tooth loss among adults today. To prevent the need for a prosthetic tooth, take care of your smile by fighting bacteria each day.
Placing A Bridge
We can take measurements of your bite to create a bridge that restores your bite. By connecting dental crowns to the remaining teeth on either side, we secure the prosthetic to replicate your missing tooth. To care for your bridge, continue practicing proper oral hygiene and attend regular dental checkups. At each visit, we will inspect your restoration to see that it is holding strong.
Talk To Your Ankeny, IA, Dentist About Replacing Your Tooth
We can help you explore your options to maintain a healthy bite after losing a tooth. If you would like to learn more about replacing missing teeth, please contact your Ankeny, IA, dentist’s office at (515) 207-6182 to schedule a visit.