When you have missing or broken teeth, you don't need to hide your smile. Dr. Michael Pugh is a dentist at Artistic Dentistry, located in Huntsville, AL, and a dentist like him can close the gaps in your smile with a dental bridge.

What Are Dental Bridges?

Dental bridges are literal bridges for any gaps in your teeth created by a missing tooth or teeth. A bridge consists of two teeth working as an anchor with a false tooth or teeth in between them. The anchor teeth are known as abutment teeth, with the false teeth known as pontics. A dentist will offer pontics made from gold, porcelain, alloy, or a combination of materials. Your natural teeth or dental implants support the dental bridge.

Dental bridges are permanent appliances and can be made up of several pieces fused to fill open spaces in your mouth and provide a better alternative to partial dentures.

Types of Dental Bridges

There are four main types of dental bridges offered by your dentist:

1. Traditional fixed bridge: most common and consists of a crown on either side of the pontic or false teeth.
2. Maryland dental bridge: used to replace the front teeth and uses porcelain instead of crowns bonded to the back of your teeth. Also known as a resin-bonded bridge.
3. Implant-support bridge: the dentist will place a dental implant for any missing teeth and then apply this bridge over them in a later procedure.
4. Cantilever bridge: When one side of the gap contains a single crown, the dentist will anchor a natural tooth and the pontic onto the natural tooth.

Advantages of Dental Bridges

When you come in for your consultation appointment with Dr. Pugh in Huntsville, AL, the dentist will perform an exam and determine if you are a candidate for a dental bridge. The advantages that come after receiving a dental bridge are many, and they include:

• Restoring your natural smile
• Maintaining a typical facial structure because you are preventing jaw bone loss from the previously missing tooth or teeth
• You are restoring your ability to chew food properly
• Maintain normal speech function
• You prevent any further dental problems, such as nearby teeth moving into the space of your missing teeth, leading to further complications.

Not everyone is a good candidate for a dental bridge, but you and your dentist can discuss this and other ways to get your smile back today. Call Dr. Pugh at Artistic Dentistry today. He is the dentist you need, located in the Huntsville, AL, area at phone (256) 536-3386.

Your Huntsville, AL, dentist, Dr. Michael Pugh offers the services and treatments you need to keep your smile healthy and attractive. Do you know when you need to visit the dentist? If you experience any of these five dental issues, it's a good idea to schedule an appointment.

Your tooth hurts

A toothache is a very good reason to call the Huntsville dental office. Tooth pain can be caused by a variety of oral health problems, including cavities, sensitive gums, cracked teeth or fillings, dying nerves, and abscesses. Prompt treatment will end your pain and prevent the issue from worsening.

Your gums are red and hurt

Painful, swollen, red gums can be a sign of gum disease. The disease can destroy gum tissue, bones, and ligaments and may even cause you to lose teeth. Call the office if you notice pain, swelling, and redness in your gums.

Do your gums bleed when you brush and floss your teeth? Bleeding can be a sign of gingivitis, the early form of gum disease. A dental cleaning and better oral hygiene may improve your gum health if you have gingivitis.

The bottoms of your teeth are covered in a hard brown substance

Do you have a brown coating on the bottoms of your teeth that won't budge no matter how often you brush? The substance may be tartar, a hard deposit that forms when plaque remains on your teeth for as little as 10 days. Tartar isn't just unattractive but can irritate your gums and increase your risk of gum disease.

Fortunately, the dental hygienists at the Huntsville office have special tools that can chip away tartar without harming your teeth. When you schedule checkups every six months, you'll receive a thorough cleaning that will remove plaque and tartar.

You're concerned about the appearance of your smile

There's no reason to live with a smile you don't like. Your dentist can improve your appearance with these and other treatments:

• Crowns to restore broken or damaged teeth or improve tooth appearance
• Veneers to hide flaws and imperfections in the fronts of teeth
• Teeth whitening to brighten your smile
• Invisalign to correct orthodontic problems discreetly
• Bonding to repair damage and enhance tooth appearance
• Bridges, dentures, and dental implants to replace missing teeth

You're worried about a lump or spot

Your dentist can also diagnose strange lumps or patches in your mouth. As these symptoms may be signs of oral cancer, it's important to get them checked out as soon as possible. Your dentist also performs an oral cancer screening during every dental checkup.

Protect your dental health with regular visits to your dentist in Huntsville, AL, Dr. Michael Pugh. Call Dr. Pugh at (256) 536-3386 to schedule your appointment.

Don’t wait on a toothache -- pain in the mouth usually points to other problems ranging from reactions from toothpaste to sepsis. While it may be tempting to take over-the-counter medication and going about your day, waiting to treat tooth pain can make minor problems worse over time. Visiting Dr. Michael Pugh at Artistic Dentistry in Huntsville, AL can be one of the best decisions you’ll make regarding your toothache.

What are some causes of toothache?

Eating sugary and sticky foods, mouth injury, and possible tooth decay are all reasons for experiencing a toothache. This pain can be sharp and increase only when the area is agitated, or it can be dull and long-lasting. Poor daily oral care can exacerbate an already sensitive area of the mouth.

How do I prevent toothaches? 

Wearing mouth guards during sports is a great way to prevent toothaches. These are sold at any sports equipment store and absorb the impact of any hits or falls the patient may experience. If you grind your teeth, discuss options for treatment with your dentist, as tooth grinding also produces toothaches.

Brushing and flossing twice a day is vital. This habit breaks up tartar, the film of bacteria that coats the teeth and can harden into plaque. The gums swell because of the deposits or decay that begins to set into the tooth. Toothache can occur when inflammation hits the nerves.

Get dental cleanings twice a year. Regular visits to the dentist are a great way to monitor your oral health. Your dentist will examine your enamel with an x-ray to see if there are any weak spots, remove all tartar and plaque, floss thoroughly, administer a fluoride treatment if necessary and polish your teeth. The procedure is critical to address any toothaches that you may have.

Contact Artistic Dentistry in Huntsville, AL, at (256) 536-3386 to have Dr. Pugh check on your toothache today.

Keeping your gums healthy isn’t that difficult. It starts with these helpful steps…

If your gums are constantly inflamed this could be because there is a serious infection lurking under the gums that could lead to bone, tooth and gum loss if left untreated. Since periodontitis is the leading cause of tooth loss in adults, it’s important to be able to recognize the warning signs of gum disease as soon as possible so you can make an appointment with our Huntsville, AL, dentist Dr. Michael Pugh.

Some signs of gum disease include,

• Red, inflamed gums
• Swollen, tender gums
• Bleeding gums, particularly when brushing and flossing
• Chronic bad breath
• Receding or shrinking gums
• Pockets between the teeth and gums
• A change in the way teeth fit together

In the very beginning, you may only notice that your gums look a little red or puffy. If inflamed gums do not go away after a couple of days it’s important that you see your Huntsville, AL, family dentist to find out if it could be gum disease.

Can you prevent gum disease?

Gum disease can certainly sound pretty scary when you think about it; however, if you maintain good oral hygiene you probably won’t have to worry about it. Just like decay, gum disease can be prevented with good oral care. If you want to prevent gum disease from happening to you here are some rules to follow,

• Brush at least twice a day (for at least two minutes each time)
• Floss once a day
• Use fluoride toothpaste
• Rinse with an antibacterial mouthwash
• Eat a healthy, balanced diet
• Quit or avoid smoking
• Limit alcohol consumption

Are there risk factors for gum disease?

Some factors that could increase your risk for gum disease include,

• Hormonal fluctuations (pregnant and menopausal women are at an increased risk)
• Smoking or using tobacco products
• Diabetes
• Misaligned or crooked teeth
• Certain medications
• Genetics
• Poor diet
• Poor oral hygiene

If you’re on the hunt for a dentist in Huntsville, AL, that can provide you and your family with the dental care you deserve for a healthy smile then call Dr. Michael Pugh today at (256) 536-3386 to schedule cleanings and checkups for the whole family.

Proper dental care at home is important for people of all ages. After all, not only does it protect you from tooth decay and gum disease, but good oral hygiene can also reduce your risk of heart disease. Although your dentist, Dr. Michael S. Pugh of Artistic Dentistry in Huntsville, AL, and his team provide general and cosmetic dentistry to patients, at-home care is still essential to maintaining proper oral health—read on to learn more.

10 Tips for At-Home Oral Care

• Make a smart toothbrush choice: Pick an angled toothbrush that has soft bristles and is the right size to fit comfortably in your mouth.

• Pick the right paste: Use a toothpaste with fluoride, this will help strengthen your teeth enamel.

• Get the right brushing motion: Hold your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle to your teeth and make small, circular motions that include your teeth and gum line.

• Make your timing right: Brush twice each day, morning and night. You should wait at least 30 minutes after eating before you brush to avoid damaging your teeth.

• Don't forget to gloss: You should floss after brushing to remove trapped food particles from between your teeth. If you find it tricky to use dental floss, try using a water flosser.

• Stick your tongue out: Don’t forget to clean your tongue with a scraper. Some toothbrushes have a cheek and tongue scraper on the base of the brush.

• Kick bad habits: Quit smoking. Avoid sugary foods/beverages, and don’t grind your teeth.

• Drink plenty of water: It’s important to keep the inside of your mouth moist. If it dries out, plaque can build up faster.

• Visit your dentist: You should make a regular 6-month visit to your Huntsville dentist for a check-up and professional cleaning. This will help reduce your risk of tooth decay, gum disease, and tooth loss.

If you’re looking for a dentist in Huntsville, call Dr. Pugh of Artistic Dentistry at (256) 536-3386.