If you deal with tooth loss, you know how challenging it can be. Regardless of how you lost a tooth, you may feel ashamed or embarrassed. You have to deal with a noticeable gap in your smile, and you have had to give up a lot of your favorite foods because it hurts when you chew.
Fortunately, dentists today deal with tooth loss every day and understand the impact it has. Updated dental materials and techniques provide several solutions for replacing teeth in Aurora, CO, including dental bridges.
How Dental Bridges Replace Missing Teeth
Dental bridges have stood the test of time as an excellent solution for replacing missing teeth. A prosthetic bridge fills the gap in your smile with an artificial tooth, allowing you to eat, speak, and chew comfortably again.
Bridges are typically made as a three-piece unit; the artificial tooth (pontic) is suspended between two crowns attached to anchor teeth on either side. The process for placing a dental bridge involves two or three appointments.
Steps for Getting a Dental Bridge
First, your dentist in South Aurora needs to prepare the anchor teeth to allow the crowns to fit properly. Next, impressions are taken of your teeth and used to create a temporary bridge that you wear while a high-tech custom dental lab creates your final restoration.
When your new bridge is ready, your dentist will arrange another appointment to have the crown placed. The restoration is checked for proper fit, adjusted to fit your bite, and cemented securely in place.
With proper care, including diligent oral hygiene and routine dental exams and cleanings, your new bridge can last as long as 15 years.
Complete Your Smile with a Dental Bridge
At Uptown Comprehensive Dentistry and Prosthodontics in South Aurora, CO, Dr. John Chen specializes in tooth restorations like dental bridges. If you need to have one or more teeth replaced, he would be happy to discuss the benefits of dental bridges and see if you are a good candidate.