Fort Dental Blog

If you are missing between one and three permanent teeth in a row, you may be considering a dental bridge to replace them. Dental bridges are prosthetic crowns that secure to two healthy teeth and fill in gaps of up to three missing teeth in the center. These prosthetics look just like natural teeth and provide improved bite force over leaving them missing. If you’ve been curious about their benefits, keep reading for more information!

What are Dental Bridges Made of?

Dental bridges can be made of a few different materials: gold, alloys, porcelain, or a combination of several of these. They are designed to look natural and are also completely functional, so you can still chew with them and clean them just like the rest of your teeth, however they cannot provide as much biteforce as your teeth or dental implants.

How Long do Dental Bridges Last?

With proper care and usage, you can expect your dental bridge to last between five and fifteen years, and most survive more than ten years. To ensure that yours stay in excellent condition for as long as possible, be sure to brush and floss your teeth daily and never use them for anything but chewing food, thus they should never be treated as tools for opening packaging or biting your fingernails.

What Are the Benefits of Dental Bridges?

In addition to restoring the appearance of your smile, dental bridges offer a few key benefits, including:

• Restoring your ability to speak and chew properly
• Helping to maintain the structure of your face
• Properly distributing your biteforce
• Keeping your natural teeth from shifting positions

What Are Implant Supported Bridges?

If you are looking for a more permanent way to replace lost teeth, you may be a good candidate for an implant supported bridge. These permanent prosthetics are inserted into your jawbone and topped with a crown. This type of restoration is permanent, so there’s no need to worry about replacing it, and because it can hold multiple consecutive teeth at once, you can replace them with fewer implant posts, possibly saving you money over individual implants.

Remember, there’s no need to live with large gaps in your smile due to multiple consecutive missing teeth. Speak to your dentist today about the benefits of dental bridges or implant supported bridges and bridge the gap to a healthier smile!

About Our Practice

At Fort Dental, our team of highly skilled dentists work together to help provide patients just like you quality solutions to a variety of oral health problems. Whether you’re looking to replace missing teeth with the help of a traditional or implant supported bridge, we can help walk you through your options and find a prosthetic that fits your unique needs.

To schedule a consultation for a new dental bridge, please visit our website or call us today at 817-292-5957.

Dental crowns can build up damaged teeth and protect them for many years into the future. This means keeping your natural teeth for as long as possible. However, dental crowns haven’t always been around, and they have come a long way since their invention. Continue reading to learn more about how dental crowns got started and how they evolved into what they are in modern times.

(more…)

Dentures play a crucial role in restoring your ability to bite, chew, and smile confidently by replacing missing teeth. When properly fitted, full dentures adhere securely to your gums, while partial dentures blend naturally with your remaining teeth. However, if your dentures don’t fit correctly, they can lead to a range of complications. Keep reading as we explore five common issues that can result from ill-fitting dentures and explain why it’s essential to have them adjusted as soon as possible.

(more…)

Taste is an essential part of life, contributing significantly to our overall enjoyment and well-being. We often take it for granted! But when the ability to taste is diminished, it can affect our experience of food and our quality of life. As we age, it’s natural for our sense of taste to decline. However, for those who wear dentures, this can be exacerbated. The good news is that this doesn’t have to be the case. Continue reading to learn how dentures can affect taste and what you can do to enhance your experience.

(more…)

If you’re missing teeth, getting a new pair of dentures can come as a huge relief. Imagine how great it will feel to smile with confidence again, and to finally be able to eat many of the foods you’ve had to decline in the past. But before you indulge, be sure to read up on which foods you should avoid with dentures. While they are a great way to replace lost teeth, they are not as strong as your original teeth once were, and thus should not be used to chew certain foods.

Here’s a list of dietary don’ts for your new dentures!

(more…)

When most people think about smiling, they may immediately assume it’s a simple gesture. However, recent research suggests that there’s more to a friendly grin than meets the eye! If you want to learn how to unlock the full power of your pearly whites for a better quality of life, continue reading. You’ll find some surprising ways that simply smiling can improve your physical, mental, and oral health!

(more…)

Dental implants are considered to be the finest tooth replacement option available because they are surgically placed directly into the jawbone, allowing them to look and function just like real teeth. However, some people may read the word “surgery” and wonder, “Can I safely receive dental implants at my age?” If this sounds like you, then you have nothing to worry about. Here’s why dental implants can be safely placed in many adult patients whether they are 22 or 112 years old!

(more…)

When you look into dental implants as a treatment, one of the things you’ll hear about most often is their stunning durability. Over 95% of dental implants successfully reach 20 years, and a vast majority of them last over 30. Provided you take care of your teeth well, you can even have your dental implants last a lifetime.

Its taken a long time and a lot of work to make dental implants as durable as they are. If you’re curious, here’s the secret to the remarkable longevity of this treatment.

(more…)

If you’ve been avoiding dental appointments because of anxiety, you’re not alone! Whether you have a basic checkup and cleaning or a more involved procedure like a root canal, it’s not uncommon to feel nervous. Fortunately, many dentists are aware that some patients struggle with worry and have medications that can help, such as oral conscious sedation. That said, it’s not necessarily the right choice for some patients so it’s important to identify whether you’re a good candidate. Keep reading to learn more!

(more…)

You’ve been teaching your children the best ways to care for their smile at home by brushing and flossing. However, this routine can begin to feel like a chore for young children. It’s always a good idea to try to make this important regimen more fun. Here are 5 ways that you can add some excitement to oral hygiene for your family!

(more…)