Losing a single tooth, or as many as three in a row, could mean you need a prosthetic. Even minor tooth loss could impact the balance, health, and appearance of your smile. To avoid complications, your Ankeny, IA, dentist can offer a custom-made dental bridge, which can address between one and up to three missing teeth in a row!
The Impact of a Missing Tooth
When we lose teeth, whether due to injury or tooth decay or even the advanced stage of gum disease, this leaves behind a gap in our smile. Even if this gap is due to only one missing tooth, there could be trouble for your smile. For example, the surrounding teeth could drift from position to create misalignment. This not only changes the appearance of your smile, but also increases the risk of tooth decay and gum disease. Missing teeth could strain your jaw joints, so you are more likely to develop TMJ disorder and bruxism (teeth grinding). You may also have issues eating your favorite food, or could feel embarrassed about your appearance. For minor tooth loss, we could help with a custom-made dental bridge.
Dental Bridges
The dental bridge is a dental prosthetic that can address between one and three missing teeth in a row. The prosthetic will contain one or more replacement teeth, known as pontics, with crowns on one or both ends. The bridge will be made from ceramic, a durable material that can handle daily bite forces with ease, and also be shaded to blend with your smile. To place them, we first numb the abutment teeth, the natural teeth on each side of the gap in your smile. We then remove structure from them to make room for the crown portions of the bridge. Our team will take detailed digital images and impressions of the teeth and the gap, which we use in a lab setting to design and fabricate your new teeth. When your prosthetic is ready, we will connect the crowns to the abutment teeth, so you have new teeth that can last for 10 to 15 years on average!
Partial Dentures
What if you have several gaps in your smile, and they are spread out across the arch of your smile? In these cases, we could create a partial denture, which contains new teeth that fit in these gaps and are connected by an acrylic base. Metal clasps keep them in place, and they can offer a solution for more complex cases of tooth loss.
Enjoy Tooth Replacement With Dental Impressions
Our team is ready to help address the gaps in your smile with our durable and lifelike replacement options. To find out more about our custom dental prosthetics, call Dental Impressions in Ankeny, IA today at (515) 965-0230.
