At Hillsborough Family and Cosmetic Dentistry, your dental health is the focus of our practice. Maintaining a healthy mouth is crucial for your health and overall well-being. Yet, dental issues, such as missing teeth, can affect your confidence and ability to chew and speak effectively. As a result, Dr. Williamson can offer restorative options to rebuild your mouth. He can provide you with a custom dental bridge in Hillsborough, NC, to fill in the gaps in your smile.
What are Dental Bridges?
Dr. Williamson uses dental bridges to replace one or more missing teeth. These devices can replace one or more consecutive missing teeth by “bridging” the gap between your remaining teeth. They are vital restorative dentistry treatments that fill in the gap with a false tooth, called a pontic, which the teeth hold in place next to the gap. These supporting teeth are called abutment teeth.
A dental bridge is made from materials like porcelain or metal to match your natural teeth. We customize them using dental impressions and cement them to the abutment teeth, restoring your smile and helping you chew properly.
Why Choose a Dental Bridge?
Missing teeth creates more issues than just an odd look. When you lose one or more teeth, it can begin to affect the rest of your mouth. Your remaining teeth can loosen and shift. You can even lose more of your teeth. Furthermore, missing teeth can cause issues with your speech and ability to eat. Having missing teeth can also affect the look of your face, making you age prematurely.
- Restore Your Smile: One of the most noticeable benefits of a dental bridge is how it restores the look of your mouth. Missing teeth can lead to self-consciousness and possibly a reluctance to smile freely. Luckily, dental bridges can blend seamlessly with your natural teeth.
- Improve Eating and Speaking: Missing teeth can make it very difficult to chew your food properly. This can lead to issues with digestion and nutrition. Also, gaps left by missing teeth can affect your speech, creating issues with certain words or sounds. Dental bridges restore the ability to chew and speak effectively. With a stable set of teeth, you can enjoy your favorite foods and communicate clearly.
- Prevent Shifting Teeth: When a tooth is lost, the nearby teeth may start to shift or drift into the open space. This can result in a misaligned bite and even more dental complications. Dental bridges help maintain the proper spacing between your teeth and preserve your oral health.
- Long-Lasting Solution: With proper care and maintenance, dental bridges can last for many years. Dental bridges are a durable restoration that ensures your teeth remain intact and functional.
- Simple Maintenance: Keeping your dental bridge healthy is straightforward. It doesn’t involve any complex cleaning routines. You can use your regular oral hygiene practices to keep your bridge and the surrounding teeth in great condition.
Types of Dental Bridges
We use several different types of dental bridges to accommodate our patients and their unique needs. Dr. Williamson will evaluate your oral health condition and discuss your needs before recommending the best tooth replacement solution for you. If you qualify, we typically recommend implant-supported bridges because of their many dental health benefits, including better stability and natural function.
Traditional Dental Bridge
Most people recognize a traditional dental bridge. This tooth replacement device is a standard way to replace one or more missing teeth. A traditional bridge uses a false tooth, called a pontic, to fill the gap. The pontic is held in place by teeth crowns that go over the adjacent healthy teeth on either side of the gap, called abutment teeth.
Dr. Williamson will cement the crowns to the abutment teeth to keep the bridge secure. Traditional bridges are strong and reliable, often made from materials like porcelain or ceramic, and they look natural, helping you eat and speak normally again.
Cantilever Bridge
Dr. Williamson will use a cantilever dental bridge to replace a missing tooth when a patient may only have teeth only on one side of the gap. Unlike a traditional bridge that uses teeth on both sides, a cantilever bridge attaches to just one abutment tooth.
Your dentist places a crown on that single supporting tooth to hold the false tooth in place. Cantilever bridges work well for areas that don’t take heavy chewing pressure, like front teeth. They’re a good option when other teeth are not available to support a traditional bridge.
Maryland Bridge
A Maryland dental bridge is a way to replace a missing tooth without using crowns on the nearby teeth. Instead, it uses a false tooth, called a pontic, with metal or porcelain wings on each side. Dr. Williamson will bond the wings to the back of the teeth next to the gap. This keeps the bridge in place without much drilling.
We typically use Maryland bridges for front teeth, as they don’t handle heavy chewing well. They are a less invasive option because they don’t change the nearby teeth as much.
Implant-Supported Bridge
You also have the option to secure your dental bridge to dental implants. Unlike traditional bridges that use the natural adjacent teeth for support, your dentist will anchor this type of bridge to implants. We will first surgically place these implant posts in the jawbone. Then, after fully healing, we can secure the bridge to the posts. Securing the bridge to implants that have fused to the jaw bone makes it more durable and stable.
Implant-supported bridges can replace anywhere from two to several teeth in a row. They’re a great option for people who have lost multiple teeth but still have some healthy teeth remaining. The result is a strong, natural-looking smile that allows you to eat, speak, and laugh with confidence.
Dental Bridge Repair
Dr. Williamson can repair your dental bridge if it has minor issues. Dental bridges can get damaged or worn out over time. However, this does not mean you need a whole new device. Here are the most common types of bride repair:
- A small part of the bridge is chipped, they might be able to repair it with special dental materials.
- Bridge is loose, they can often re-cement it back in place.
- Sometimes, we can fix small cracks or holes in the bridge.
However, there are times when a bridge can’t be fixed:
- Big crack or break in the bridge
- Damage is too severe
- If the teeth supporting the bridge have new problems
In these cases, Dr. Williamson will need to replace the whole bridge. If you have a damaged or worn down bridge, schedule an appointment as soon as you notice it. In most cases, quick action often means a simple fix instead of needing a new bridge.
Dr. Williamson will check your bridge and let you know the best way to fix it. He will consider things like how old the bridge is, what it’s made of, and how bad the damage is.
We Can Provide You With A Custom Dental Bridge in Hillsborough, NC
We can help restore your mouth and your oral health with a dental bridge in Hillsborough, NC. If you need a consultation to replace your missing teeth, call 919-587-8401 or request an appointment online.