Tackling Your Dental Treatment Plan

There are several tooth replacement options that a patient may choose to address their missing teeth. One of the most common and effective tooth replacement options will be dental bridges.

How Are Dental Bridges Placed In The Patient's Mouth?

A dental bridge is essentially a fake tooth that rests on top of the gums. To hold the replacement tooth in place, the bridge will be anchored to the teeth that are adjacent to the gap. This will require these teeth to have crowns added to them so that the bridge can be connected to the teeth. Due to the way that the bridge will be placed, patients will be able to have this procedure done in a single session once the bridge has been created. However, it can take up to several days for the dental bridge to be created as it will likely need to be ordered from a lab that specializes in making these dental devices.

Will The Bridge Match The Color Of Your Natural Teeth?

Keeping dental work discrete is important for any type of treatment. For patients that are needing to have a tooth replaced with a dental bridge, they might think that it will be difficult to match the replacement tooth to the natural teeth. Yet, it is fairly easy for a dentist to match a replacement tooth to the neighboring teeth. It should be noted that individuals that have stained teeth may want to get them whitened before having the replacement tooth fitted. The material used for replacement teeth will not be responsive to whitening solutions, and as such, it will be difficult to alter its color. By whitening your teeth before this procedure, your dentist will be able to more easily match the replacement tooth to your desired shade of white.

Should You Expect The Dental Bridge To Impact Your Diet?

For many dental patients, braces may have been the most complex treatment that they needed prior to requiring a bridge. This can lead to them assuming that the bridge will carry similar dietary restrictions as braces. However, dental bridges are extremely durable replacement options, and patients will typically find that they do not need to make any major dietary changes once the bridge has been fully placed. For the first several days of wearing the bridge, your bite may feel slightly different, and your teeth and gums may be slightly sore. Opting for a diet of soft foods during this initial recovery phase can help to reduce any tenderness that you may feel.

For more information about dental bridge treatment, talk to your dentist.