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A Lost Tooth Can Often Be Replaced with a Piece of Bridgework

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Tooth loss is always a cause for concern. Not only can it impair your ability to chew food and alter your appearance, the void left in your mouth can slowly start to alter the alignment of the surrounding teeth. As time goes by this could cause a poor relationship with the related teeth in your dentition. Further complications from enamel attrition and dental fractures can prove uncomfortable and costly to treat.

Fortunately, Dr. Adam Vitelli has several different methods to replace or restore the missing tooth’s presence in your mouth at his, Germantown, Maryland practice.

If you aren’t interested in the invasive techniques used to restore the tooth with a dental implant, Dr. Adam Vitelli might recommend covering the void with a piece of bridgework. This is two crowns fused together with a third representative tooth in the middle. It is mounted on a pair of abutments formed by the two closest neighboring teeth.

Once he’s assessed the health of the teeth closest to the void Dr. Adam Vitelli will use a drill to remove each tooth enamel layer. This will form a pair of post-like abutments. This creates a small protective sheath housing the healthy pulp, root, and nerve of each tooth. Temporary crowns are then secured over each abutment to protect it.

Then, he will prepare an impression of the area including both abutments and the corresponding teeth in your bite. This will be sent to a dental lab, to help guide them as they produce your permanent bridge.

When the final bridge is ready, a member of Dr. Adam Vitelli’s staff will call you to schedule a brief second appointment. The temporary crowns will be removed and your new permanent bridge will be cemented in place with a strong dental-grade adhesive.

If you live in the Germantown, Maryland area and are missing a tooth, please call 301-972-1400 to explore your restoration options with Dr. Adam Vitelli.