5 Ways Dental Bridges Help after Tooth Loss

5 Ways Dental Bridges Help after Tooth Loss Dentist Troy, MI

If you have missing teeth, our Troy dentist may recommend you receive a dental bridge. Over time, the spaces in your smile can cause your other teeth to move toward the open space or even cause jaw deterioration. 

On a day-to-day basis, gaps in your smile can make it difficult to eat, speak, or feel confident. The dental bridge procedure offers a solution to patients with missing teeth by filling the empty space with a tooth restoration that looks and feels natural. 

Here are 5 different ways that a dental bridge can transform your life and help you move on from missing teeth.

What Is a Dental Bridge?

Dental bridges work by placing a false tooth, or pontic, in the open space and anchoring it with porcelain crowns on the natural teeth or dental implants on both sides. This form of restoration is generally fixed, or permanent, and is made to seamlessly blend in with the rest of your natural smile.

Dental Bridges Can Help You:

1. Smile with Confidence

You can’t put a price tag on a smile that is both beautiful and healthy. Many patients feel more confident after getting a dental bridge or other tooth replacement. That means no more hiding your smile in a group photo or feeling self-conscious showing your teeth. A dental bridge for front teeth can especially improve your quality of life by restoring your smile.

2. Chew Without Pain

After tooth loss, you may experience difficulty or even pain when eating your favorite foods. Pain can be caused by surrounding teeth shifting toward the open space. Food particles can also collect in the empty socket where your tooth was and damage gums. 

To permanently alleviate pain while eating, we recommend investing in dental bridge treatment. Eating shouldn’t have to be something that causes you pain on a regular basis and a dental bridge can give you back the freedom to enjoy a wide variety of foods.

3. Speak Clearly

If you’ve lost multiple teeth, you may have difficulty pronouncing certain words or have a lisp when you speak. To fix these issues, you’ll need to address the tooth loss that caused your speech to suffer in the first place. After all, your teeth play a vital role in how you form words in your mouth. 

To see what we mean, try reading aloud to see how many times your lips or tongue come in contact with your teeth. A front teeth bridge can help resolve issues with speaking caused by tooth loss.

4. Prevent Jawbone Deterioration

Did you know that your jawbone starts to deteriorate once you lose a tooth? Tooth roots stimulate the bone cells in your jawbone. Without this stimulation, your jawbone starts to reabsorb unused minerals and deteriorate. 

Severe jawbone deterioration can lead to further tooth loss and even facial collapse, which affects the shape of your face. This can be prevented with dental restorations like a fixed bridge.

5. Protect Your Smile from Further Tooth Loss

Your teeth are held in place by strong roots under the surface of your gums. However, did you know that your teeth are also held in place by nearby teeth? After significanttooth loss, you may notice your remaining teeth start to tilt toward the open space. 

To prevent shifting teeth, the best thing you can do is fill the space with an artificial tooth through dental bridge treatment. Teeth that move too much can become loose and may lead to further tooth loss.

Schedule an Appointment Today

Our dentist in Troy, MI, Dr. Kelly M. Giera is dedicated to helping patients maintain good oral health. That’s why we may recommend a dental bridge if you’ve lost one or more teeth. Call Mosaic Dental at (248) 528-2270 to request an appointment.

This blog has been updated.