What You Should Know About Bridges if You’ve Lost a Tooth

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For as long as people have had to deal with tooth loss, the need to replace those teeth has been a major focus of dental health care. That’s because once you lose an adult tooth, it doesn’t grow back and the loss will always affect how your smile looks and how well your bite functions. For centuries, dental bridges have been among the most common and effective ways for addressing tooth loss. Today, bridges are still popular for tooth loss patients in Omaha, NE, thanks to their innovative design and highly lifelike appearance.

How Does a Dental Bridge Work?

The point of a dental bridge is to fill the gap left in your smile by a missing tooth, thereby improving your smile and restoring your bite’s proper balance. This allows your teeth and bite to continue functioning properly. To accomplish this, a bridge consists of a lifelike replacement tooth, called a pontic, that is bordered by two dental crowns. The crowns are affixed to the healthy teeth adjacent to the gap in your smile, now known as abutment teeth. Once in place, the bridge fills in your smile and allows you to once again bite and chew your food properly.

How Do You Qualify for a Dental Bridge?

Because a dental bridge relies on healthy adjacent teeth for support, qualifying for one means ensuring that your teeth are free of decay and that you don’t exhibit signs of gum disease. If so, then your dentist will recommend a personalized treatment plan to address the condition first. Otherwise, you may still be at risk of losing more teeth and making your dental bridge inadequate.

Can Implants Support a Bridge?

For many patients, dental bridges can be supported by a dental implant post rather than a pair of crowns. Instead of affixing the bridge to nearby teeth, an implant post can be inserted into your jawbone where your lost tooth’s root once rested. After your jawbone heals, your dentist can attach your replacement tooth to it, creating a more lifelike and durable restoration.

Find Out if a Dental Bridge Is Right for You

If you’ve lost a tooth, then a custom-designed dental bridge could be the best way to rebuild your smile and restore your confidence. To learn if a dental bridge is right for you, schedule a consultation by calling Pacific Hills Dental in Omaha, NE, today at (402)330-2243. We also serve the residents of Papillion, Elkhorn, La Vista, Millard, and all surrounding communities.