Dental Bridge Seattle WA • Pacific Modern Dentistry

Dental Bridges
Seattle, WA
Dental Bridges model used by Seattle dentist at Pacific Modern Dentistry

It may not seem important, but suffering tooth loss, even if it is only one tooth, is a serious issue. Patients have asked if tooth loss at the back of the mouth, where it can’t be seen, is a big deal. Your teeth do more than affect the smile, they work in a harmonious balance for complete oral health. Missing even one tooth can cascade to several changes in your mouth. No matter the location of your missing tooth, it is important to have it replaced. At Pacific Modern Dentistry, we can discuss different options, including replacing your missing tooth with a dental bridge.

What happens when I lose a tooth?

Your mouth, like every system in your body, works in a cohesive way. The bone supports our teeth, the teeth transfer energy to the bone keeping it healthy, and the whole function allows us to get the nutrition we need. Additionally, we take a lot of pride in our smiles, they help us look and feel good about ourselves, so losing a tooth, even one at the back of your mouth can be problematic. A basic outline of what will happen includes:

•	Balance is Lost: The balance of your mouth is now thrown off. Many patients start chewing mainly on the other side, meaning their chewing is off balance and the wear of the teeth on the other side is considerably higher.
•	Changes in Food Choices: Patients will often react to this imbalance by choosing to not eat certain foods, they will avoid crunchy foods, sticky foods and more. This may not seem significant, but changes to your diet will cause changes in other areas of your body.
•	Bone Changes: Our bone structure throughout our body relies on exercise to stay healthy and robust. Our jawbone receives this exercise through chewing and making contact with opposing teeth. When the bone is not exercised, it will atrophy and shrink in that area. This may not be noticeable with one missing tooth, but lose 2-3 or more and your face shape will actually change, resulting in a look that we often think of as being older.
•	Neighboring Teeth Shift: The empty space of a missing tooth leaves space for teeth to shift in an uncontrolled fashion. This is different from when teeth are removed for orthodontic work, they are moved in a controlled way. Shifting teeth can cause changes in how your jaw closes possibly causing pain or other problems.
•	Speech Changes: Our speech, particularly our tongue placement when speaking, is used to where our teeth are located. Changes in our teeth means the tongue is not hitting the spots that it is accustomed to, causing changes in our speech.

Replacing a Missing Tooth with a Bridge

We can stop these changes and restore your oral health with a dental bridge. This is a common treatment option that can be used to replace several missing teeth in a row. Bridges come with variations both in style and how they are held in place. We can discuss these options and find the right combination for your specific needs.

The most frequently used dental bridge is called a fixed bridge. It consists of a replacement tooth that is set between two dental crowns. The replacement tooth is a false tooth, called a Pontic tooth, and it fills in the empty space left behind by your missing tooth. The crowns function to hold the bridge in place, they are referred to as anchor teeth. The crowns are placed over these teeth, called the abutment teeth, which anchors the bridge securely in place. In the past, anchor teeth needed to be healthy natural teeth, but today we can also use surgically inserted dental implants to serve as a post or anchor.

No matter what the location of your missing tooth, it is essential that it be replaced right away. Using a combination of healthy teeth and/or dental implants, we can restore missing teeth and give you a healthy smile.

Call Pacific Modern Dentistry today at (206)284-4505 to schedule your consultation and find out if a bridge is right for you.

Office Hours
Monday: 7:00 AM–4:00 PM
Tuesday: 7:00 AM–4:00 PM
Wednesday: 7:00 AM–4:00 PM
Thursday: 7:00 AM–2:30 PM

Location
2046 Westlake Ave. N. Suite 204
Seattle, WA 98109-2700

Contact
Office: (206)284-4505
Fax: (206) 284-4757

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Dental Bridge Seattle WA • Pacific Modern Dentistry
No matter what the location of your missing tooth, it is essential that it be replaced right away. We can replace your missing tooth with a dental bridge.
Pacific Modern Dentistry, 2046 Westlake Ave. N., Suite 204 Seattle, WA 98109; (206)284-4505; pacificmoderndentistry.com; 5/19/2023; Page Terms:dental implants Seattle WA;