Dental Bridges in Baulkham Hills, NSW
Missing teeth make it difficult to chew and even speak properly. Gaps in the smile also cause feelings of self-consciousness for many.
Additionally, spaces left by missing or extracted teeth eventually allow the remaining teeth to move or tilt into the gap, resulting in poor occlusion (bad bite). Poor occlusion caused by missing teeth can lead to sensitive exposed roots, periodontal disease and jaw joint disorders (TMD) due to uneven forces when chewing.
What Is a Dental Bridge?
Bridges replace teeth after extraction or tooth loss. They complete the bite where the teeth are missing by filling the gap with an artificial tooth. Bridges use one or more healthy adjacent teeth to hold the artificial tooth in place. They are not removable. They are fixed to the tooth (or teeth) and are, therefore, very comfortable and feel natural in your mouth.
Like crowns, you have a choice of materials. Winston Hills dentist Dr Martina Lavery will help you to decide which to choose, based on the location of the missing tooth, its function and aesthetic considerations.
What’s Involved in Getting a Dental Bridge?
The teeth adjacent to the space left by the missing tooth must be adjusted so that the bridge will fit accurately and look natural. This is one the reasons why people often choose dental implants, which require no preparation of healthy teeth.
Bridges provide a solution for patients who wish to avoid surgery or need an alternative to dental implants because of medical conditions.
An impression is taken of the area, and our skilled team of technicians, with whom Dr Lavery works closely, fabricates the bridge in a local dental lab using high-quality materials and Dr Lavery’s precise instruction.
A temporary bridge is made for the tooth while the permanent bridge is being fabricated. Once we receive your final bridge from the lab, Dr Lavery will permanently bond it to the teeth.
Caring for Your Dental Bridge
Dental bridges do require some extra care to keep clean. Dr Lavery will discuss specific types of floss and small brushes to help clean the area around the bridge.
It is also wise to avoid biting into anything excessively hard. While dental bridges are strong, they can break or become damaged when eating hard or sticky foods.
Implant-Supported Bridges
Bridges are limited in the number of missing teeth they replace because they can become unstable, especially when replacing molars, which absorb the most force from chewing.
We can increase the number of teeth we replace with a dental bridge by supporting the bridge with one or more dental implants.
Are You Ready to Replace Missing Teeth?
We offer a number of procedures to complete your smile in our Hills District dental clinic. We also service Northmead, Baulkham Hills, and Bella Vista areas.