Losing teeth can be a stressful and uncomfortable experience. Gaps in your smile can have a significant impact on the strength of your bite, comfort while eating, speech, as well as the confidence you have in your smile.
Fortunately, modern dentistry can offer a variety of solutions to fill these gaps. Prosthetic teeth are more lustrous and radiant than ever. With state-of-the-art techniques, dental prosthetic treatment is getting more comfortable and effective all the time.
Let’s take a look at some of the options available to patients today.
Bridges
Bridges are fixed rows of at least three prosthetic teeth. These restorations replace one or more missing teeth and are anchored to the adjacent teeth with crowns that are cemented in place. The surrounding teeth must be prepared by your dentist to fit the anchor crowns, even if those teeth are perfectly healthy.
Alternatively, “Maryland bridges” use a metal or porcelain framework that is bonded to the backs of surrounding teeth to hold the pontic in place.
Dentures
Dentures are a relatively well-known replacement option. These devices can be either full or partial prostheses that consisting of life-like crowns and acrylic gum tissue.
Full arch dentures rest directly on the gums to match the surrounding environment and require dental adhesive to remain in place. Partial dentures are often supported by metal brackets that utilize the surrounding dental structure to stay in place.
Dental Implants
Dental implants are small bio compatible posts of titanium that are surgically placed directly in the jaw bone, providing a sturdy base on which to attach a beautiful new prosthetic.
Any pontic restoration can be attached to a dental implant – bridges, dentures, even single crowns! Not only does the implant return the full strength of your bite, it performs the same functions of a natural tooth root, stimulating the jaw and preventing loss of bone mass.
Boyd & Boyd Dentistry offers solutions for missing teeth for the people of Annapolis and the surrounding communities. Contact our practice today to schedule a consultation and discuss your options.