When you lose a tooth, or up to three in a row, your Houston, TX, dentist may suggest replacement with a dental bridge. Along with custom options secured with dental crowns, our team also secures them with advanced implant dentistry. In today’s blog, we’re going to talk about the unique benefits made possible with dental implant bridges.
The Dangers of Losing Jawbone Mass and Density
When we lose a tooth, or more than one, the body will immediately register the loss of one or more tooth roots. Without these roots, they suspend the flow of key nutrients to the jawbone around the lost root. The bone tissue then loses mass and density, which breaks down the jaw ridge and over time, leading to further tooth loss and an aged appearance. Other complications related to tooth loss include misalignment, and difficulty eating and speaking!
Creating a Custom Dental Prosthetic
For those with one to three teeth in a row lost, we will create a lifelike bridge. Typically, they are held in place with abutment teeth, which means we remove structure from natural teeth on either side of the gap. We then take detailed impressions to create a bridge, which contains the new teeth and crowns attached to either end. We place the crowns onto the abutment teeth and the bridge stays in place until changes to the jaw ridge shape mean we need to replace it, usually after about ten years.
The Benefits of Dental Implants
However! What if we could preserve natural tooth structure and prevent the loss of jawbone mass and density at once? With dental implants we do just that. Our team starts by taking impressions and measurements of your smile, which we use to not only design the bridge, but choose the optimal area to insert one or more dental implants. They are inserted like tooth roots into the jaw, which stimulates the flow of nutrients to preserve the bone structure. We then attach the crown portion of the prosthetic to them. The prosthetic then has the potential to last decades, even a lifetime in some cases. We also use lifelike materials to ensure your finished product blends seamlessly with your smile. If you have any questions about how we create and place a lifelike prosthetic, or about preventing tooth loss, then contact our team today.
OUR HOUSTON, TX DENTIST’S OFFICE PROVIDE TOOTH LOSS SOLUTIONS
At our Houston, TX dentist’s office, we know how losing one or more of your natural teeth could impact the health and function of your smile. Fortunately, we have natural-looking and durable solutions with implant and prosthetic dentistry. Find out more about our custom dental prosthetics by calling Healthy Smiles Family Dentistry at (281) 974-4494.
