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Posts for tag: bridge
Damaged bridges or crowns can interfere with your mouth’s normal functioning. Sensitivity to certain foods may increase, chewing may become difficult, and your mouth may begin to feel awkward. A visit with Dr. Robert Brooks and Dr. Brent Johnson to repair your crown or bridge at Brooks Cosmetic and Family Dentistry, located in Mcdonough, GA.
What are some risks for crown or bridge replacement?
One of the main factors is the age of dental work. If you have had your bridge or crown for several years, then it may be time to have a dentist inspect them to make sure everything is okay.
Another reason you may need to replace them is that sometimes the bridge or crown is a poor fit in the mouth. This may result in awkward chewing or talking. Sometimes the bridge cracks because of the inability to fit into the mouth properly.
If you have sustained an oral injury during sports, an accident, or using your teeth as tools to open items, you may need to have your bridge or crown replaced.
How do I know it is time to replace my crown or bridge?
Bridges don’t always show signs of decay or other oral problems. Increased pain and prolonged irritation are signs that it may be time to replace your crown, bridge, or both. Most bridges can last about 7 years, but it isn’t uncommon for them to last much longer than that.
Another way to know if a crown or bridge needs repair is if it is cracked or has broken off. If this is the case, your dentist will have to remove them and tend to any anchoring natural teeth that have been affected. Because bridges rely on neighboring teeth to function, repairs are usually comprehensive.
To schedule an appointment with Dr. Brooks or Dr. Johnson to replace your crown or bridge, call Brooks Cosmetic and Family Dentistry in Mcdonough, GA, at (678) 583-0330.
Considering the costs, many people view replacing a back tooth as less important than a more visible front tooth. They’re rarely seen, so who will notice?
You might, eventually. A missing back tooth can set off a chain reaction of problems that can affect your overall dental health. Besides playing an important role in chewing food, back teeth also redistribute most of the chewing force away from the front teeth. Their absence can also affect the bite: adjacent teeth to the missing one will tend to migrate toward the open space, causing them to tip and rotate into an improper position. This can cause an increase in tooth mobility, excessive wear and erosion, and endanger their survival in the long run.
To avoid these and other problems you should consider some form of replacement. Most dentists prefer a dental implant for its life-like appearance and durability, and because its titanium post has a natural affinity with bone. Bone cells will grow around and permanently adhere to the implant, which may stop and even reverse bone loss in some cases.
Implants, though, require a certain amount of bone structure initially to anchor and position properly. If you have inadequate bone and don’t want to bone graft the area, the next best option is a fixed bridge, in which the missing tooth is replaced with an artificial crown known as a pontic. The pontic is fused between two support crowns that are permanently affixed to the natural teeth on either side of the missing tooth (also known as abutments). While fixed bridges restore function and inhibit tooth migration, they require the natural tooth supporting the bridge to be reduced to accommodate the crowns placed on them. This permanently alters them and places them at higher risk for future nerve damage, gum disease and decay.
One final option is a removable partial denture (RPD). Although RPDs restore function and improve appearance, their movement within the mouth may place additional stress on the teeth that hold them in place. This movement over time could damage or loosen them.
We can discuss which option is best for you after a complete dental exam. The important thing, though, is to replace the back tooth as soon as possible — doing nothing could cost you much more in the long run.
If you would like more information on tooth replacement, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Replacing Back Teeth.”