How We Rebuild the Smile
Missing teeth may not just cause you embarrassment; they may also negatively impact your oral health as well as your general health. Missing teeth increases your risk for gum disease, which has been linked to systemic illnesses such as heart disease, stroke, pneumonia, and osteoporosis.
In addition, a missing tooth left un-replaced can cause remaining teeth to drift out of place and misalign your bite, which can result in headaches and TMJ dysfunction. You can protect your smile and your health by replacing missing teeth as quickly as possible. At our dental practice, Dr. Solich can make your smile whole again with dental crowns and bridges in Colorado Springs.
Dental Crowns
A crown, which is also known as a cap, is custom designed to fit over a tooth that is structurally unsound either because of extensive decay or damage. A crown strengthens, protects, and improves the appearance of your tooth.
Dental Bridges
A fixed bridge contains one or two replacement teeth that are affixed to dental crowns mounted on healthy teeth next to the gap in your smile. Together, the crowns and bridge are permanently bonded into place. Unlike a removable partial or denture that you remove each night to clean and soak, you cannot remove a crown or a fixed crown and bridge.
Your Smile and Bridgework
At our Colorado Springs office, Dr. Solich uses crowns and fixed bridges to restore optimal bite and prevent further damage to teeth. If you have a tooth with decay or weakened structure because of a deep crack, leaving it un-crowned means it can crack or break further, causing even more damage and severe discomfort.
Receiving Your New Smile from Dr. Solich
Placement of a crown typically takes two dental visits. For patients in Colorado Springs seeking to replace missing teeth, Dr. Solich will prepare and shape the teeth on each side of the missing tooth. This step is necessary to ensure that the crown doesn’t crowd adjacent teeth and doesn’t interfere with the opposing tooth when you bite down.
After preparing the tooth, we’ll take an impression to send to a dental laboratory. The laboratory custom crafts your crown and bridge according to Dr. Solich’s exacting specifications. Dr. Solich will place a temporary bridge until your final restoration arrives. At your next appointment at our Colorado Springs office, he’ll make adjustments and cement the bridge into place.
To care for your fixed bridge, you’ll need to brush and floss just as you do for your natural teeth. In addition, we’ll give you a special threader so you can floss between the bridge and your gums in order to remove plaque and food particles.
Schedule a Consultation Today
With the restorative dentistry options of crowns and fixed bridges, our Colorado Springs patients can enjoy a stable, properly aligned smile that delivers lasting comfort and beauty.
Dr. Solich serves Colorado Springs, Monument, Castle Rock, Pueblo, Denver, and the surrounding areas. Let us give you a smile evaluation and help you decide the best option for replacing your damaged or missing teeth.