Everyone wants a smile they can feel confident about. That’s why, when people experience missing teeth, they take advantage of cosmetic dentistry solutions such as dental bridges. Left untreated, the gaps created by missing teeth can cause remaining teeth to shift, leading to additional dental problems. By replacing missing teeth, a bridge can help restore your smile, along with your ability to speak and chew comfortably. Here, Dr. John Rink helps patients at his Charleston practice understand the qualifications of good dental bridge candidates.
Dental bridges are solutions for individuals who have one or more missing teeth. A bridge uses crowns placed over the existing, healthy teeth on either side of the gaps as anchors to support the new, artificial teeth. These new teeth, known as “pontics,” can be made from porcelain, gold, or alloy.
Generally, any adult with missing teeth is a good candidate for dental bridges. However, here are some additional qualities that your dentist may look for.
The good news is that even if you are not immediately considered a good candidate for a dental bridge, preliminary restorative dentistry care can often help.
A dental bridge is created in stages, over the course of several appointments with your dentist. Generally, the process works like this:
The entire process, from initial consultation to final bridge placement, may take several weeks. Once complete, though, your restored smile will last for years - perhaps even a lifetime.
The best way to determine whether a dental bridge is right for you is to schedule a personal consultation with a skilled cosmetic dentist. Contact Dr. John Rink today to learn more.