If you’ve had a tooth knocked out or extracted, it can lead to a number of complications. Beyond simply impairing your ability to chew food efficiently, it could mar your appearance and eventually result in alignment issues.
If the tooth is not replaced in a timely manner, the surrounding teeth can start to twist and migrate toward the void left in your mouth. To address this bevy of complications, your dentist, Dr. Kevin Caldwell, might recommend having the lost tooth replaced by installing a dental bridge.
A dental bridge in Webb City, Missouri, is basically an artificial tooth that mimics the appearance of a natural tooth. It is fused into one single piece of dental work with a hollow crown at each end. It will eventually be anchored onto abutments that are formed out of the core of the two neighboring teeth.
Dr. Kevin Caldwell will form the two abutments by removing the tooth enamel from each tooth. The abutments will contain the dentin layer surrounding the healthy pulp and root of the tooth.
Dr. Kevin Caldwell will then form a detailed impression of the two abutments and the corresponding teeth. This will be sent to a state-of-the-art dental lab where your new bridge will be custom crafted to fill the void. Then, he will secure a hard, plastic, temporary crown over each abutment to protect them while the dental lab technician does their work.
Once the dental lab technician has completed your bridge, Dr. Kevin Caldwell will call you in for a short follow-up appointment. The temporary crowns will be removed and he will cement your new bridge into place.
If you have recently lost a tooth, you should call Kevin L. Caldwell, DDS, PC at 417.673.1988 to see if you can have it restored by a bridge.