A Dental Bridge is a false tooth, it could best be described as a permanently fixed denture, says a South East London dentist. The bridge is exactly what it says it is. When a tooth is lost it leaves a gap, and this is generally filled with a false tooth to keep eating habits and the smile in pristine condition. The bridge consists of three or more teeth, all of which are usually made from Porcelain and joined together. The teeth on the edges are also hollow as they will fit over the good teeth either side of the gap. These are called anchors and hold the bridge tooth in position like a suspension bridge. The dentist will first take digital photos and send them to the dental technician for the bridge to be made, in fitting the bridge they will need to grind down the edge teeth to the same dimensions as the inside of the anchor teeth. The bridge is fitted and cemented in, then polished to blend the join in. The teeth can be used almost immediately and within a few weeks many patients forget they even have a false tooth. The fixture is permanent, but a damaged bridge is easily replaced, they also need no special looking after, as a denture does. You simply clean and floss them as usual. They will get a polish and the usual clean up to remove tartar when you visit your dentist for the six monthly check up. The practice dental hygiene nurse will give you more advice on caring for a bridge.

When a tooth is lost early it is a bit of a blow to us and can leave us feeling down in the mouth, says a South east London dentist. We want to fill the gap left as soon as possible and almost every time we will be offered dentures, the problem is that not many people get along with dentures and they look at alternative methods of a false tooth. A popular method is a Dental Implant which was devised through extensive research in the 1950s; an implant is a false tooth that sits permanently in position anchored to the jaw bone just like a real tooth. A plate is inserted under the gum and screwed down to the jaw bone; the Titanium plate then becomes part of the jaw as the bone fuses with it over a period of a few months. The plate is pre-drilled with holes that are a screw has been cut into, and after the plate fuses the gum incision is reopened and stems of Titanium are then screwed into the holes. When the incision has healed the dentist will call the patient back and place the false Porcelain teeth onto the stems to complete the procedure. The patient now has a new tooth in the gap that needs no special care, unlike a denture that needs fixing and sterilising every day. It is a long procedure, but it is a one off and a `forget about it` one too. Once in the patient soon forgets they even have one.

Dental Implants aren`t that complicated, although they do take a good few months to have them fitted as the process involves a lot of work and waiting. A South east London dentist says that many people who cannot get on with dentures, find that the time and investment in dental Implants is well worth it in the end though. They were developed in the 1950s in British and Swedish universities, but it wasn’t until the early 60s that the first successful operation was carried out in Sweden. It involves inserting a Titanium plate under the gums and then screwing it down to the jaw bone. That part is usually done under a local anaesthetic; it is the next part that takes the time. The idea behind Dental Implants is that the new tooth, albeit a porcelain one, integrates with the bone of the jaw and the whole thing becomes part of the jaw. What happens is that the body produces new bone that covers the plate over a period of 3-6 months. Once that is done, posts are screwed into pre drilled holes in the plate, and then the new tooth is slide over the post to complete the procedure. What the patient ends up with is a new tooth that won`t become infected inside; will be hard wearing and a permanent part of the mouth. You can use it like a normal tooth and you care for it in the same way as your natural teeth. 6 monthly check ups will keep tartar away and if the tooth gets damaged it can be easily replaced in a few weeks.

Loosing some or all of your teeth can have a massive negative impact on your self-confidence and also have a hugely detrimental effect on your quality of life. It is also possible that missing teeth can cause the facial muscles to sag making you look much older than you really are. The solution to all the problems associated with multiple tooth loss is dentures.

They might not sound all that appealing but dentures have long been used and are the tried and tested way of replacing missing teeth. Denture technology has also come a long way making today’s dentures a much more appealing option. Tooth loss can happen for a number of reasons and it is important to replace missing teeth as soon as possible to prevent complications leading to further loss. Dentures or partial dentures are often the best artificial alternative to replace real teeth.

A well-fitting denture will not be loose and will greatly improve the quality of life of the patient. Some patients have loose dentures because of increased gum erosion and resort to dental adhesives for extra security. This can be messy and prohibits eating certain foods. For patients who are still anxious about the embarrassment of loose dentures there is now the possibility of mini-implants fitted to the jawbone to secure the dentures.

In the hands of a skilled South East London dentist, the results capable with dentures are stunning. Not only can they completely restore the smile and confidence of a patient but they can also restore their much-needed quality of life and make them look years younger.