When you’re young, you’re taught to be tough and deal with adversity. The ability to work through difficult situations is a valuable life skill, but when it comes to your health, it may not always be the best course of action. If you experience pain in your mouth related to your bite, your teeth, or your gums, you may think, “It’s just a little pain. I can tough it out.” However, this is a counterproductive course of action. Failing to remedy mouth pain can often make your problems worse in the long run, due to additional decay or added stress on your other teeth. Restorative dentistry offers simple treatment options like bridges to help with missing teeth and damaged bites. You don’t have to just tough it out. Here’s how a dental bridge could be helping.
A Dental Bridge Bonds to Current Teeth and Replaces Missing Ones
Dental bridges are restorative prosthetics that seek to accurately replace your missing tooth, or a series of missing teeth. Pontics — tooth replacements — are bookended by dental crowns which are bonded to natural teeth. The pontics in between the crowns are custom-crafted to fit your mouth so that it really is like replacing your original teeth as they were.
Dental Bridges Help Protect Teeth and Redistribute Pressure
The beauty behind the design of your teeth is that they’re made to chew. Your bite fits together in an intentional way. If you’re missing a tooth, that means that the rest of your teeth carry the load. A dental bridge, by replacing your missing teeth, also replaces your bite. With your original bite in tact, pressure will be properly distributed across your mouth. Additionally, replacing missing teeth protects against future damage and decay. Leaving your gums exposed to extra bacteria (thanks to a missing tooth), increases the likelihood that they could become infected.
Don’t Tough it out, Make it Better!
If you’ve been putting up with oral pain, now’s the time to act. Do yourself a service and see if a dental bridge could be helping you with your missing teeth. Dr. Carter is an experienced professional who has had restorative treatments done himself. He knows how to offer the right care and make sure you’re comfortable with the procedure. To schedule a consultation about restorative options, contact Elm Creek Dental in Maple Grove, MN at 763-416-0606.