If you are missing teeth, you are at several disadvantages. Gaps in your smile will make you feel self-conscious about your appearance, in social and work situations. Additionally, missing teeth can make it difficult for you to speak and chew. The spaces left by your teeth provide places for bacteria to breed and for plaque to accumulate, and your remaining teeth will have room to drift out of alignment.
There are different options for giving you a full set of teeth, and it is important that you find the solution that is best for you.  Many people may not like the feel of dentures in their mouth, or they may have a sensitive gag reflex. If someone does not have healthy gums or a healthy jawbone, they may not be able to support dental implants. There is another option, a dental bridge. A bridge will not take up as much space in a person’s mouth as dentures might, and unlike implants, a bridge does not require surgery.
To place a dental bridge, the dentist will decrease the size of the teeth on each end of the gap. It may require that the dentist remove all of the enamel reducing the teeth down to their dentin pillars. These teeth will serve as the anchors for the bridge, which will span the gap between those teeth. The dentist will take an impression of those teeth and the space between them, and send that impression to a dental lab which will craft your bridge. In the interim, your dentist will outfit you with temporary crowns.
When your bridge is ready, your dentist will place your permanent crowns and bridge over the two anchoring teeth and secure them with dental cement. With the proper care, your crown can last for many years. You will need to continue to brush and floss your teeth, and see your dentist on for your cleanings and exams; since gum disease can weaken your crowns.
If you are suffering from missing teeth why not talk with our dentist, Dr. Tyjuan Williams about a dental bridge? If you live in the Augusta, Georgia area, call 706-868-4200 today to make an appointment at 1 Smile Away.