Recent studies show that missing one or many teeth can decrease your self-esteem and even lead to depression. Many patients visit our prosthetic dentist in Edina looking for a solution to replace their lost teeth.
Among the consequences of losing a tooth, you may find:
- Bone loss – since the bone lacks its stimulation, it recedes.
- Alignment issues – when you lose a tooth, the adjacent teeth shift, causing misalignments.
- More vulnerability to dental infection – tooth loss creates gaps in your mouth, where the food gets stuck, and you develop a higher risk of oral issues.
- Older appearance – as the bone shrinks, your face does it too, and you look older.
Prosthetic Treatments
You may replace a lost tooth with a prosthetic dentist near you that offers a wide range of treatments. Among them, you may find dental implants, porcelain dental crowns, dentures, or porcelain fixed bridges in Edina. We will discuss the last one.
Porcelain Dental Bridges
Dental bridges are dental devices that replace one or more missing dental pieces. They are perfect for compromised teeth that are next to each other.
Porcelain fixed bridges near you consist of a pontic (the fake tooth) and two caps on each side. The caps (dental crowns) will crown the adjacent teeth (anchoring teeth) for support.
Benefits of Dental Bridges
- Affordable
Dental implants are expensive and not affordable to everyone. Unlike them, dental bridges are cost-effective and an excellent option for replacing teeth if your Budget is limited.
- No Need for Surgery
Your dental professional will administer a local anesthetic to numb the area and shave down the adjacent teeth to the gap. Then, they will take a mold and send it to a dental laboratory to create your bridge.
Before placing dental implants, sometimes you need to undergo surgery for bone grafting if your jawbone is not strong enough.
- No Need for Osseointegration
Osseointegration is when the dental implant and the jawbone fuse and can take from three to six months. After this time, your dental professional may place the porcelain dental crown on top of the implant.
Porcelain bridges don't involve recovering time, and you can show your new smile much faster.
Drawbacks of Porcelain Bridges
- They Don't Last a Lifetime
Dental implants are expensive, but they are a long-term investment. They may last up to a lifetime, while porcelain bridges may last up to 15 years with proper care. This time is not exact, and they may last more or less time. It depends on the lifestyle of the patient and the materials used in the procedure.
- You Need Neighboring Teeth
As we mentioned before, the gap needs adjacent teeth to bridge gap. If you are missing too many teeth, your doctor might suggest installing dentures instead of a dental bridge.
Dentures can be partial or complete. Complete or full dentures replace all your teeth, while partial dentures clasp on your remaining healthy teeth and replace some of them.
- Difficult to Floss
A dental bridge is a one-piece device; hence, it is hard to floss. You may use water flossers to make it easier or discuss with your dental professional about other options.
A dental implant is individual, and you keep the space between teeth; therefore, you can normally floss.
Choosing the treatment will depend on the wants and needs of the patient. Every option has its indications, and your dental professional will advise you on what could work best for you.
If you have any other questions, you may contact us. We have a team of caring professionals who look forward to helping you.
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