When you are missing a tooth or a few teeth, it can have a major impact on the overall appearance of your smile. People missing teeth may feel self-conscious, even around people they've known for years. In addition to the cosmetic issues, there are a number of dental health problems related to missing teeth, including the inability to eat certain foods, gum recession, loss of bone density, and gradual misalignment of your remaining teeth. It's for that reason that many people visit a Manhattan cosmetic dentist in order to get dental bridges.
Dental bridges are sets of artificial teeth that help bridge the gap left behind following tooth loss. The dental bridge is held in place by bracing around the patient's remaining tooth structure. Your cosmetic dentist in Manhattan will make sure that the dental bridge blends in seamlessly with your natural teeth to ensure that your dental health and overall appearance is restored.
The best candidates for dental bridges are people who are missing a tooth or just a few teeth. It's important that the patient has enough remaining teeth adjacent to the tooth gap in order to support the bridge.
If a person is missing many teeth, an ideal option for effective restorative dentistry is a denture. Dentures are artificial teeth that are held in place by bracing around the patient's remaining gum and jawbone structure. This hold can be increased through the use of denture creams.
We will be able to make an assessment of your needs during a full consultation. Generally, though, if a person is missing a few teeth in a row or most teeth on the upper row or lower row, the best treatment option to consider is a denture rather than a dental bridge.
In addition to dentures, another treatment option that people can consider is implant-supported dental bridges. Dental implants are artificial tooth roots that are surgically anchored into a patient's gum tissue and jawbone structure. The dental bridge is then snapped into place on the dental implants. This provides the best possible hold and stability of any treatment option. In fact, dental implants can be used to support a dental bridge, dentures, or even individual dental crowns.
While implant-supported dental appliances are ideal for appearance and stability, they are not always the best option for a patient. The patient needs to have sufficient bone structure and gum tissue to support the dental implant when it's in place. If that's not the case, gum grafting treatment and bone grafting treatment can be performed to add soft/hard tissue mass to the tooth gap.
In addition to the above, ideal candidates for dental implants should be in good overall health and not suffer from any sort of medical condition that would make oral surgery risky or dangerous.
