If you’re missing a tooth, then you’ll need something to fill the gap in order to restore your smile. This becomes even more important if you’re missing a few teeth adjacent to each other. How can the gap be filled, so that you have your beautiful smile – and your ability to chew – back?
One option for filling the gap is and restoring your smile a dental bridge.
A dental bridge is a permanent prosthetic intended to replace a missing tooth. The artificial tooth is known as a pontic. It’s secured to the teeth on either side of the missing tooth. This is typically done using crowns on those teeth, but metal clasps can also be used.
The process for getting a dental bridge is similar to the process for getting a crown on a single tooth. At the patient’s first visit to the dentist in Kirkland, the teeth that will be used to anchor the bridge are prepared to receive crowns. This involves removing some enamel from them, to make room for the crown. Impressions are made of the area with dental clay. A temporary bridge (usually made of acrylic) is then placed.
The impressions are sent to a dental laboratory, which manufactures a custom dental bridge for the patient. At the patient’s second appointment with the dentist in Kirkland, the fit of this bridge is checked. If necessary, it can be altered to get the right fit. When the bridge fits well, then it’s permanently cemented into place.
Some patients who are missing a tooth choose a dental implant or a partial denture, while others choose a dental bridge. As a dentist in Kirkland, Dr. Razoumovich sees patients who make all three of these choices for various reasons. The dental bridge has certain advantages, while the other choices have different advantages.
A dental bridge is a permanent appliance, unlike a partial denture, which is removable. Patients may prefer a permanent replacement for their lost tooth, because they don’t have to remember to take it out and clean it daily. It’s also more secure than a removable appliance.
Some patients may prefer a dental bridge to a dental implant because the cost is lower. Others may not be candidates for dental implants, because their jaw bone is too thin or weak to support an implant. Still others may choose a dental bridge instead of an implant because they don’t want to wait the necessary few months that it takes for a dental implant to fully integrate into the bone.
If you have a missing tooth, you’ll need an excellent dentist in Kirkland to provide you with personalized dental advice about your options for replacing it, and to perform the needed procedure. You may also be feeling a little anxious about having dental work, and want an option for relieving that anxiety. You’ll be happy to learn that Dr. Arkadi Razoumovich of Seattle’s Best Smiles offers top-quality dental care, including sedation dentistry. That means you’ll get a great smile, and you’ll feel relaxed during any necessary procedures. To schedule your appointment with Dr. Razoumovich, your dentist in Kirkland, please contact our office.
Dr. Arkadi Razoumovitch, DDS provides cosmetic, restorative, and implant dentistry in a comfortable, professional environment. Dr. Razoumovich received his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from The University of Washington. He has had extensive post-graduate training, including residency training at the University of California Los Angeles, and is a member of numerous professional organizations including The American Dental Association and The Academy of General Dentistry. Dr. Razoumovich makes dental treatment relaxed and comfortable for patients while enhancing their oral health and beautifying their smiles
