Prompt tooth replacement with dental bridges, fill gaps, restore vital function and self-confidence
The team at Matthew Wallengren, DDS in Roland Park, welcomes you! Patients from throughout Baltimore and the surrounding area of Towson, Sparks, and central Maryland benefit from our blend of professional yet warm and inviting care. Due to our approach of genuinely partnering with individuals and their families, Dr. Wallengren can help many patients avoid the leading causes of tooth loss: dental decay and periodontal (gum) disease. In turn, we minimize the costs, time, and trauma to the mouth associated with treatments designed to resolve conditions and restore the oral tissues’ structure, appearance, health, and function.
A bridge is a non-surgical way to replace one or many teeth. A bridge uses the adjacent teeth as anchors to support the missing tooth or teeth. With today’s dental advancements, a bridge can be fabricated in a fairly short period of time, using a metal or nonmetal foundation. Don’t let that missing tooth affect the way you speak, eat, and smile. Bridges yield immediate results that last a lifetime. Ask your dentist what type of bridge may be right for you.
Bridges, however, may be in your future if we cannot resolve decay, inflammation, infections, fractures, and other forms of damage to teeth. While our focus is on preserving natural tissues (teeth, gums, and bone), it is essential to replace failing or lost teeth as soon as possible. Dental bridges present a well-established way to replace teeth quickly, safely, permanently, and effectively.
The process
All potential treatments start with a thorough examination and evaluation by Dr. Wallengren. He uses his competency and advanced diagnostics to accurately evaluate the condition of your teeth and mouth. If a tooth cannot be preserved, Dr. Wallengren will discuss both straightforward and comfortable tooth removal or extraction and options for tooth replacement.
In its most direct form, a dental bridge to replace a single tooth involves designing and making a replacement tooth. This replacement tooth is called a “pontic.” The pontic is then attached to two dental crowns. The crowns are made to fit on top of the neighboring teeth on each side of the gap that will exist once the tooth is extracted or on each side of an existing gap.
The neighboring teeth will function as “anchors” to hold the pontic in place. To ensure that each crown fits on top of the anchor tooth properly, some tooth structure must be removed, and these “abutment teeth,” as they are called, must be reshaped. Once our exceptional dental lab partners complete the bridge, the crowns are cemented or secured permanently to the abutment teeth. The pontic in the middle then “bridges” the gap or fills the space.
Accordingly, patients with bridges love the immediate boost this form of tooth replacement provides to their confidence. The bridge completes their smile! Furthermore, their ability to chew even sticky and hard foods is restored. With proper care, and continued visits to our office to assure your bridge is holding up well, your new tooth should last for many years. Now, some adjustments may be needed to clean effectively underneath the bridge. These adjustments are minimal and may require floss threaders or interdental brushes to remove all food particles and destructive substances that can become stuck under bridgework.
Call (410) 431-1868 to schedule an appointment at our North Baltimore, MD office in Roland Park. During your visit, Dr. Wallengren may also discuss alternatives to traditional dental bridges, such as a crown or bridge supported by the dental implant(s) positioned in the jawbone.