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Having gaps in your smile can affect your bite, your speech and your appearance. If you are missing teeth, both dental bridges and partial dentures are common options for replacing teeth. Which one is best for you depends on your oral health and your lifestyle. The dentist is best qualified to help you make this decision, but here are the basics of bridges and partial dentures as a primer.
Dental bridges are artificial teeth which are permanently attached in your mouth. We call this kind of restoration a bridge because it bridges the gap between your existing teeth. They are most often secured by being bonded or cemented to neighboring teeth. A typical bridge consists of an artificial tooth flanked by two crowns, which fit over prepared neighboring teeth. If there are no stable neighboring teeth or multiple teeth are missing, bridges are sometimes attached to dental implants. Bridges are made from gold, metal alloys, or porcelain. Which material is used depends on your preference and the dentist’s recommendation. Just to make things confusing, bridges are sometimes called “fixed partial dentures”.
Unlike bridges, partial dentures are a removable option for replacing teeth. Just like a denture that replaces an entire arch of teeth, a partial denture is removed to be cleaned and while sleeping. Another difference is that partial dentures usually include both artificial gums made from pink acrylic into which false teeth are mounted. Bridges are just the teeth. A partial denture is attached in your mouth using clasps or precision attachments that clip on to your natural teeth.
If you have several teeth in a row that are missing, the dentist is more likely to recommend a partial denture. However, if only one or two are missing, a bridge may be more appropriate. Another big factor is the dentist’s predictions about your dental health in the future. If there is a chance that you may lose more teeth, it makes less sense to attach a restoration to existing teeth. In this case, the dentist may opt for the partial denture.
While these are the basics you need to know, there are more detailed factors regarding your oral health that we may need to consider when replacing missing teeth. Any treatment we recommend will be customized to your situation and we gladly answer any questions you may have about the details of our dental bridge or partial denture treatments.
Ask anyone over the age of 40 and they’ll tell you that getting a dental filling used to mean adding a gleam of metal to your mouth. Recently, modern dentistry has adopted new high-tech materials that imitate the look of natural teeth, allowing tooth-colored dental fillings to become the norm in many dental practices around the world.
Metal fillings are still a perfectly normal and effective way to repair a damaged tooth. Metal fillings are called amalgam fillings by dentists. This name comes from the fact the material is an alloy of metals (including silver, copper, tin, and zinc). Some amalgams can also contain small amounts of mercury, but the American Dental Association has determined that the amount of mercury is so small that it doesn’t post a health risk to patients (source). However, if you’re concerned and would rather avoid the presence of mercury completely, you should choose composite fillings or gold fillings instead.
Composite resin fillings are what dentists call tooth-colored or “white” fillings. Composite is an artificial tooth-like material that is a blend of hard durable plastics and glass. In this way, composite resin imitates your natural tooth enamel, which is also a glass-like material. The dentist also adds coloring agents to the composite resin to ensure it is indistinguishable from the rest of your tooth.
Gold fillings are a different type of metal fillings. Unlike amalgam, they are made entirely from gold. Also, unlike amalgams and composite fillings, gold fillings are cast from a mold of your tooth then applied, a process that requires two dental visits. Both amalgam and composite fillings are sculpted from a pliable material then hardened in place, allowing the treatment to be completed in one visit.
You should know that some insurance companies consider amalgam fillings to be the standard of care and view composite fillings as a cosmetic option. While amalgam and composite fillings serve the same purpose in terms of repairing your tooth, composite fillings cost a little more. As a result, some dental insurance plans don’t cover or reimburse the cost of composite fillings as much as they cover amalgam fillings.
However, please remember that all decisions about your oral health should be between you and your dentist. How much of the cost of a treatment is covered by your insurance should not be considered with the same weight as a treatment recommendation from a clinician or your own personal preferences. In other words, don’t feel obligated to choose one treatment over another based on what your insurance covers or reimburses you for. If you prefer to have nearly invisible, tooth-colored fillings, you should feel free to choose composite fillings.
If you have any questions about the options we offer for fillings, or any questions about the treatment procedures, please feel free to ask us at any time!
Like an orthodontist or a periodontist, a prosthodontist is a type of dentist who has received specialized training in a particular type of dentistry. After completing their education in general dentistry, a prosthodontist continues to train for three additional years in the repair or replacement of teeth and jaw structure restorations. Specially trained prosthodontists even work with head and neck deformities.
Prosthodontics is the dental specialty of dental prosthetics or prosthetic dentistry. In Greek, “prostho” means “replacement” or “addition,” and “dont” means “tooth.” So prosthodontists are specially trained in repairing your smile where teeth are damaged or missing.
You might visit a prosthodontist if you want to improve the esthetics of your smile. Prosthodontists can repair your smile with many different dental prosthetics, including, but not limited to:
Bridges are dental appliances that replace missing teeth and create a “bridge” between teeth. A prosthetic tooth, called a “pontic,” is attached to an existing tooth to fill a gap in your smile.
Crowns cover and support a tooth to protect the tooth from breaking or to restore an already broken tooth. They can also cover a discolored tooth and are a great way to make your teeth stronger and improve their appearance.
Dentures are a set of removable teeth that replace missing teeth. They can improve your smile and your overall dental health by making it easier to chew and eat and by preventing facial sagging.
Dental implants are prosthetic replacements for natural teeth. They are anchored in the jawbone and permanently secured in your mouth, and they look and act like natural teeth.
Inlays and onlays replace old fillings. An inlay is like a regular filling and fits inside of the cavity of the tooth. An onlay also fits inside the cavity, but it covers the tooth cusp as well.
Veneers are thin prosthetics that are placed over a tooth to improve its appearance or strengthen it.
Prosthodontists also work on TMJ/TMD problems in the jaw joint.
General dentists can do some of the treatments that prosthodontists do, but prosthodontists specialize in these tooth restoration procedures. They even regularly lead teams of dentists to solve your dental problems and focus on the diagnosis, treatment planning, rehabilitation and maintenance of your oral health, appearance and comfort.
There are many ways to replace missing teeth & restore your smile, & bridges are a good permanent solution. They can replace one or more missing teeth, including molars, & cannot be removed, unlike dentures.
Bridges are called bridges because they create a “bridge” between teeth. The false tooth, called a pontic, is connected to the surrounding existing teeth or implants. The teeth or implant where the bridge is attached is called an abutment.
There are four major types of bridges:
Traditional bridges are held in place by dental crowns placed over the two existing teeth on either side of the gap. That means that for this type of bridge, there must be natural teeth on both sides of the gap. Your dentist will file down the existing teeth to place a crown over them so that the bridge can be attached to these new crowns.
In cantilever bridges, the pontic is only supported by one crown, instead of two. These are not as popular because sometimes the bridge can act as a lever & can have complications, like fractured teeth or loosened crowns.
In Maryland bridges, the pontic is held in place by a metal or porcelain framework that is bonded to the back of the surrounding teeth, kind of like little wings. This type of bridge is nice because your surrounding teeth don’t need to be filed down.
These bridges are useful when more than one tooth is missing. An implant is placed for every missing tooth, & a bridge is attached to the new implants. If an implant can’t be placed for every tooth, then a pontic can be suspended between two surrounding implant crowns instead. These bridges take a bit longer, since implants can take up to five months to place.
Bridges are a long-lasting way to restore your smile & prevent other dental health problems, like bad bites, gum disease & TMJ disorders. Bridges can last up to 10 years with proper care, so practice good oral hygiene to keep your teeth & gum free of decay, & avoid eating hard foods & ice. Keep your bridges clean with proxy brushes, floss threaders & antibacterial mouthwash, & by flossing underneath the false tooth.
Talk to your dentist to find out if dental bridges are right for your smile!
Dental crowns, or caps, are one of the most common restorative dental procedures that dentists perform. If you’ve been told you need a crown, there’s no reason to worry. Dental crowns allow us to restore your smile both functionally & aesthetically, & modern techniques mean we can complete the procedure faster than in the past.
First, let’s review the anatomy of a tooth. Each tooth comprises two parts: a crown, which is the visible part outside your gums, & a root or roots, which are embedded in your gums & jaw bone. Sometimes when you hear a dentist say the word crown, they’re referring to the visible part of your tooth, & other times they may be talking about an artificial crown that is used to repair a tooth.
Most of the time, when your tooth is damaged by decay or an accident, a filling or bonding is all that you’ll need to restore your tooth. However, sometimes tooth decay or damage is extensive enough that the dentist will recommend replacing the entire outer structure of your tooth. This restoration is what we call a crown (also commonly called a cap).
The dentist will start by removing some of the outer structure of your tooth. Then, they will attach the crown using a permanent adhesive cement. This crown will have been made ahead of time to match the shape, size & even the color of your tooth.
In the past, the only option for dental crowns was a metal restoration, made from precious metal, semi-precious metal, or a metal alloy. These days, however, dental materials technology has advanced to the point that there are several kinds of tooth-colored crown materials available. Most of these crown materials are some kind of porcelain, which can be made to resemble tooth enamel both in color, texture & the way it reflects light.
Commonly, these modern tooth-colored crowns will be manufactured by a dental laboratory that your dentist works closely with. The dentist will match the crown to the color of your tooth using a guide, then pass this information on to a laboratory technician, who handcrafts your custom crown.
Alternatively, modern 3-D scanning & milling technology has allowed dentists to bring this process in-office. Instead of sending information to a lab & having them send back a custom crown, computerized scanner & computer-controlled milling machines located right in the office can carry out this process. The use of this state-of-the-art technology means that dental crowns can be created & placed in your mouth much faster than ever before.
If you’ve been told you need a dental crown, keep in mind that because there are many types of materials available to make crowns, you can have some control over the price of your tooth restoration. However, we must emphasize that your dentist will always encourage an option that returns your tooth to the function & appearance of your original tooth. When cared for using a standard dental hygiene routine of brushing, flossing & 6-month checkups, a crown is expected to last a lifetime.
Whether you’ve lost teeth to decay, periodontal disease or an accident, we know that having a missing tooth can be embarrassing, inconvenient & often very uncomfortable. Luckily, there are many options for restoring your teeth, but with so many options, there is also some confusion. In this post we’re going to break down the choice between dentures & dental implants for replacing missing teeth.
Dentures are a set of false teeth that fit over the gums (full dentures) or clip into place on existing teeth (partial dentures). You can get dentures for your upper teeth, your lower teeth, or both. Dentures also have a gum-colored acrylic base that can be matched to the color of your actual gums to look natural.
Dental implants are an artificial tooth root made from a titanium metal post. The implant is inserted into the bone of the jaw under the gums, where it can act as the foundation for an artificial tooth, called a crown, to be permanently attached with a dental cement. Dental implants have ridges on them that make them resemble screws. The purpose of these ridges is actually to give the bone of your jaw more surface area to hold onto & grow around, a process called osseointegration. Once in place, dental implants & crowns are nearly indistinguishable from natural teeth & function just like them too.
Ultimately, most dentists will strongly encourage the use of implants for replacing missing teeth. Dentists know that dental implants are the best choice for both your oral health & your comfort. As much as we think about teeth on a daily basis, we don’t want you to have to think of yours constantly! Once a patient’s implants are placed & healed, they can return to a life with a fully functional smile.
Like any dental procedure, your choice of which treatment to undergo & the results you can expect all depend in your individual dental condition. When we make a recommendation of treatment for replacing missing teeth, we take your current oral health, your health history, your ultimate goals & your financial preferences into account. If you’re interested in either dentures or dental implants, please arrange a consultation with us.
It’s always unfortunate when a tooth has decayed so much that it needs to be restored by a dentist, but there are many options to save your tooth! Dentists are experts at fixing both mild and severe cases of tooth decay, but sometimes they need more time to examine your tooth to find out which treatment is right for you.
Sometimes a dentist is faced with an unusually complicated case of tooth decay or other dental damage. At this point in the dental treatment process, it may be unclear if the tooth can be saved with a simple procedure or if it needs a major restoration. This usually happens when tooth decay reaches or is close to reaching the nerve at the center of the tooth.
A sedative filling is a temporary kind of filling that dentists use at this critical junction. It stabilizes a tooth where decay has been removed and allows us to examine how the tooth responds to treatment. A mixture of oil of clove and zinc oxide is used in these fillings, which stop the spread of tooth decay and disinfect the cavity. These ingredients also help “calm” your tooth by relieving discomfort and sensitivity in the nerve—hence the term “sedative”!
Proper home care is extremely important with sedative fillings. Because sedative fillings are meant to be temporary, they can fall out relatively easily if you aren’t careful. Avoid chewing food on the side of your mouth with the filling and make sure to brush & floss with a slow and gentle approach so you don’t dislodge the filling. If your sedative filling does come out, please call us right away.
So just how temporary are these fillings? A tooth with a sedative filling is normally observed for several weeks before the dentist moves onto the next step of your treatment. Every patient is different, and it may take more or less time to figure out how to proceed. It may seem like a long time to wait, but please understand that we want to choose the most conservative solution in order to preserve as much of your natural tooth as possible!
