Preparing for Dental Bridges: What to Expect
Getting a set of dental bridges can restore your ability to bite, chew, and smile. The results of treatment are astonishing, enhancing wellness as well as smile aesthetics. Of course, successful treatment is often rooted in good preparation.
The team at our Nashville, TN dental practice would like to consider some aspects involved in preparing a patient for dental bridges. This should give you a better understanding of what this process entails.
The Initial Dental Bridge Consultation
Whenever a patient is missing a tooth or multiple teeth, an in-person consultation is essential for developing the right treatment plan. During this consultation, we can examine the extent of the tooth loss, assess the health of your remaining teeth, and figure out if dental bridges are the right option to help you. We will also cover the risks and benefits of treatment and proper care for a bridge.
If dental bridges are not an ideal option for your needs, your dentist can discuss the use of dentures or an implant-supported dental crown. We will work with you to create an ideal treatment plan that considers your dental health needs and your budget.
Determining the Ideal Bridge to Use
There are three kinds of bridges that could be used to address tooth loss. They are as follows:
- Traditional Dental Bridge - A traditional, removable dental bridge is fixed in place by latching around teeth adjacent to a tooth gap.
- Crown-Supported Dental Bridge - Crown-supported dental bridges work by fitting the bridge with a crown on both sides of the appliance. These crowns are used to cap adjacent teeth and help fix the dental bridge in place.
- Implant-Supported Dental Bridge - An implant-supported dental bridge is held in place with dental implants, which are artificial tooth roots surgically embedded into the jawbone and gum tissue.
Removal of a Tooth or Teeth
Sometimes to prepare for a dental bridge, additional teeth may need to be removed. This is common when extensive trauma or decay are the cause of tooth loss. The removal of these additional teeth prevent further need for replacement later on, allowing the procedure to address present issues that are bound to get worse.
Prepping Teeth for a Fixed Bridge
When getting a crown-supported bridge, it will be important to prepare the teeth that will be capped with crowns. This preparation process will involve removing some of the tooth enamel to accommodate the crown. All efforts are made to ensure the removal of enamel does not negatively impact overall dental health.
Pre-op Concerns for Patients Getting Dental Implants
For patients getting implant-supported dental bridges, a number of pre-op concerns will need to be addressed prior to proceeding with oral surgery. Suitability for surgery is important, for one. If a patient lacks sufficient jawbone density or gum tissue, an additional oral surgery will be required to help improve the density of these structure. Both bone grafting and gum augmentation will add to the overall treatment time, but will allow people to get dental implants placed.
In addition, a number of pre-op instructions will be provided to patients before they have the dental implants placed. These will help ensure that patients are ready for the surgical procedure and will heal with a low risk of complications.
Contact Clint Newman, DDS
For more information about treating tooth loss and restoring your smile, be sure to contact an experienced cosmetic and restorative dentist. Clint Newman, DDS and his team are here to help you have a healthy and fully functional set of teeth.
