Looking after your teeth as you get older can be difficult, things like diet, brushing routines and general wear and tear mean things like cracks, chips and gaps can start to appear. But there are solutions to this in the form of new prosthetic teeth.
One of the most fairly common types of implants are bridges, so here’s a brief rundown of how your dentist in Richmond can help you out with this type of treatment.
What are bridges?
A bridge is a set of prosthetic teeth that are placed over a section of your mouth to essentially fill in any gaps and provide you with the look of a straightened healthy smile. The teeth are usually comprised of porcelain and they’re held in place using a non-precious metal inside the base, to provide a tight fit to the supporting tooth it’s attached to.
How are they fitted?
A bridge treatment is a fairly straightforward procedure for your dentist in Richmond and it’s not particularly invasive. After a brief consultation your dentist may inspect or clean the area being worked on first, then the teeth will be filed down and shaped to fit inside the new cap that’s going to be placed over any gaps you may have.
A shading match will be performed to make sure the new covering blends in with the surrounding teeth. A temporary bridge may also be fitted to protect your teeth whilst you wait for your new prosthetic covering to be made.
At Sheen Dental our team strive to fit our patients with their new bridges in a quick and professional manner with minimal discomfort, to leave you with a straightened smile.
Are there life benefits?
Aside from the main benefit of it restoring your smile, there are a number of positive results from this procedure.
For example, a bridge can help strengthen the surrounding teeth as it provides a stable support for chewing, eating and brushing. It aids in the distribution of force when you bite, prevents your remaining teeth from shifting around too much and it can also aid in speech problems. A lot of patients tend to prefer this treatment as they find it easier to maintain and they feel natural in the mouth after they’ve been inserted.
How to care for your bridge
After you leave the practice the daily care of your bridge must be your top priority.
Your teeth are going to be pretty sensitive for a while, so try to be careful with hot or cold meals. Regular cleaning is also a must, as it will help reduce the build up of bacteria whilst you’re healing from the procedure. Ideally you should be cleaning your bridge at least once a day and to do so just brush it as you would the rest of your teeth, although try to be a little gentler as pressing too hard may damage it.
In closing, hopefully this has helped to clear up a few things about this procedure. Filling in any spaces in your smile is incredibly important as it can impact your remaining teeth, so if you’re looking to cover up a few gaps then ask our team on your next appointment.