It goes without saying that the last thing a person wants to endure is a significant oral health complication, especially if they take every step they can to protect their smile’s health. What’s more? The longer a person waits to seek treatment, the worse the situation is likely to become. As a result, it is imperative to seek help sooner rather than later when it comes to your smile. But what happens when you lose multiple adjacent teeth? In today’s blog, your Prairie Village, KS dentist explores the root causes of tooth loss, and how a gap that spans multiple teeth may be addressed with the help of a dental bridge.
More Than a Cosmetic Concern
When we ask our patients about their biggest fears when it comes to their smiles, almost every time they respond with tooth loss. Indeed, the notion of losing a permanent tooth for good is enough to worry a significant amount of people, let alone having to think about losing multiple structures or even all of them.
Indeed, tooth loss can be caused by a variety of factors or situations, but none are more common than those involving tooth decay, infection, and oral bacteria. You see, this concern can set in and cause a gradual degradation of your protective layer of enamel as well as your tooth, and once the infection spreads to a certain extent, your options will likely lean closer to the need for tooth extraction.
Though an extraction is far from a first choice for many people, sometimes it is the only option that can help preserve the integrity of your oral health. To learn more about this process and the need for dental restorations, give our team a call today.
A Consistent Progression
The unfortunate truth of the matter is, however, that even if a compromised tooth is completely removed, that does not necessarily mean the infection itself is eliminated. Indeed, harmful bacteria like to lurk in the hard-to-access or clean areas of the mouth, and a pocket of open gum space is ideal. In other words, once you lose a tooth to disease, your chances of losing surrounding or adjacent teeth, in the same manner, increase exponentially. For this reason, it is important to seek replacement options.
Knowing Your Options
Depending on your level of structural loss, there are a few different options you can pursue. When handling two or more consecutive missing teeth, however, your dentist will likely recommend the need for a dental bridge. This prosthetic spans the length of the gap and offers lifelike results.
Speak with Our Team
Contact Dr. Stuart Dexter, Prosthodontist in Prairie Village, KS by calling 913-362-8200 to learn more about the benefits of prosthetic dental bridge solutions, and schedule your next visit with our office today.