Sometimes a blow to the face or a hard fall can actually knock one of your teeth out of the socket. This is even more likely if you participate in contact sports or other rigorous activities without proper protection from a mouth guard. If there are any remnants of the tooth left in the socket a Sharon Sims dentist might need to completely extract it.
Once your gums have healed, we can fully restore the tooth’s function and appearance by installing a bridge. This is essentially a replacement tooth that is mounted onto crowns, cemented onto the two closest neighboring teeth. Once secured in place the bridge will completely replace the enamel of all three teeth.
The process of installing a bridge starts with your dentist forming a pair of abutments out of the core of the two closest teeth. This is done by removing most of the enamel layer of the teeth, leaving only the dentin, pulp and root of the tooth intact.
Your dentist will then form an impression of the abutments, and the corresponding teeth in your bite. The impression is sent to a dental lab as a guide while they craft a custom bridge for you. Your dentist will then secure temporary crowns, over each abutment to protect them during the interim.
We will call you to schedule a second appointment once your permanent bridge is completed. The temporary crowns are removed and your new bridge is cemented in place over the two abutments.
If one of your teeth has been knocked out you should call Sharon Sims’s office in Shreveport, Louisiana at 318-631-1100 for immediate treatment.