Why Do I Need A Dental Bridge?

When your dentist makes the recommendation to replace a missing tooth with a dental bridge, there are a number of reasons why. Sometimes the missing tooth creates a gap in your smile. Our smile is generally one of the things people notice about us and we all would like to make a great first impression. Or the loss of a tooth might make biting and chewing difficult. Teeth will continue to erupt when the opposing tooth is missing. This can create a function problem and even put the opposing tooth in jeopardy as well as the teeth on either side of the missing tooth. Over time the remaining teeth may also shift and create unusual spaces. All these are great reason to replace your missing tooth.

Once a tooth is lost and the decision is made to replace it, your dentist will have a discussion with you regarding the best option in your unique case. Sometimes the best option to restore the smile and health of your mouth is a dental bridge.

A dental bridge is generally lab fabricated and will be made by utilizing the adjacent teeth and inserting what is called a pontic between the teeth, filling in the gap. "The bridge can replace one or more teeth and be made from a number of materials, but generally it is gold, porcelain or some combination of the two," says Dr. Judith Ko from her Hemet, California Cosmetic and General Dental Practice. When finished, the bridge will be cemented in place and will need normal care - brushing, flossing and routine maintenance with your hygienist - to keep it in tip-top shape.

If you are missing a tooth, call and schedule an appointment today to determine what is the best option for replacement.