When you lose a tooth or you have to have it removed, your remaining teeth can drift towards the open spot and cause problems with your alignment. That is one reason that replacing a missing tooth with a dental bridge is so important. You may also feel self-conscious about the gap in your smile caused by the missing tooth. Dental bridges offered by Dr. M. Shoaib Khan are a simple and conservative way to disguise tooth loss.
The teeth to the right and the left of the missing tooth act as support for your new dental bridge. Dr. Khan places supporting anchors on these teeth before he secures the dental bridge in place. Your new replacement tooth secures to the posts of the anchors. You will have the opportunity to select a replacement tooth that is closest in color and shape to your existing teeth during your consultation appointment. This procedure is also appropriate to replace several consecutive missing teeth.
Dental Bridge Types
Most patients receive a permanent fixed bridge. This appliance is extremely durable and has a long lifespan. At the start of the procedure, Dr. Khan places a dental crown over the teeth that will provide support for the new dental bridge. He places the replacement tooth in your mouth after installing the supporting anchors. Your new tooth rests directly on your gum line and does not have artificial roots.
If you are missing a back tooth, Dr. Khan will probably use a Cantilever bridge. This type only needs one nearby tooth to offer support. He may also use a Cantilever bridge instead of a fixed bridge if you do not have two healthy teeth that he can use as support.
A Maryland or resin-bonded bridge is ideal when you have a large gap in your mouth from the loss of your natural teeth. When placing this type of bridge, Dr. Khan forgoes using dental crowns and relies on metal bands instead. Since the bands go behind the teeth, a Maryland bridge is useful for disguising tooth loss in the front of your mouth.
Schedule a Consultation to Learn More
We encourage you to come to the office of Dr. M. Shoaib Khan to learn more about each of the above dental bridge options. Our staff is happy to answer your questions so you feel confident that dental bridges are the right restorative dentistry procedure for you.
