Dental Bridges

As much as we try to take care of our dental health, tooth loss happens. Dentists have mastered the art of replacing lost teeth & their toolkits are full of solutions to fit your specific needs.

It is important to understand that replacing missing or rotten teeth is not just about looks. It’s important for keeping your mouth healthy in the long run. Tooth loss can cause your remaining teeth to shift out of place and it may become difficult for you to bite, chew and speak. The resulting bone shifting can even affect your overall facial structure.

What Is Dental Bridge?

Statistically speaking, tooth decay could be considered the second most common illness humans suffer from (number one is the common cold). If left untreated, tooth decay can lead to pain & more severe problems such as abscesses or systemic infections, not to mention tooth loss. Data indicates that almost every adult has had tooth decay at some point. Our goal is to reverse this trend, at the very least in our local community. Educating our patients about how tooth decay happens &how to prevent it is how we hope to accomplish this.

One myth seems to have emerged from how we were taught about tooth decay &cavities as children: avoid sugar & you can avoid cavities. The reality is there is no single thing you can do to prevent tooth decay. Rather, preventing cavities is a collection of good habits, maintenance & professional attention. The steps for a decay-free smile, in no particular order, are a healthy diet, a thorough daily hygiene routine & seeing us regularly for teeth cleanings & checkups.

Traditional Bridge

The most common kind of dental bridge is called a traditional bridge. This is a pontic tooth attached to two dental crowns that will cover the adjacent teeth. In order to fit the crowns over the other teeth, the dentist needs to file them down. The crowns (sometimes called abutments) are placed over your reshaped teeth & secured with a composite bonding resin.

Cantilever Bridge

A cantilever bridge is similar to a traditional bridge, but the pontic only attaches to one abutment instead of two. Because it is only secured on one side, this bridge is mostly used for teeth in the very back of your mouth.

Maryland Bridge

The last kind of bridge is called a Maryland bridge. Instead of using crowns to secure the pontic, a Maryland bridge uses metal or porcelain bands that attach to nearby teeth with bonding resin. The main benefit of this method is that none of your teeth need to be filed down. The downside is that they are weaker than a traditional bridge & may not be suitable to replace molars, which put a lot more strain on the bridge when chewing.

Procedure Overview

Getting a dental bridge is more involved than your average checkup. If you’ve gotten a dental crown in the past, getting a bridge will be a pretty similar experience for you. It will take more than one appointment to prepare your teeth & place the bridge. If you need any dental work done on the supporting teeth, such as a filling or root canal, this must happen beforehand.

Once any necessary treatment is complete, the dentist will remove enamel from the supporting teeth to make room for the abutment crowns.

They will make a mould of the area & send it to a lab that will craft your own personalized bridge. This normally takes a few weeks.

While you wait for your custom restoration, you will be given a temporary bridge.

At the final appointment, the dentist will place your permanent bridge & make any necessary adjustments.

How long your bridge lasts depends on how well you take care of it. If properly cared for, a dental bridge can last well over 10 years. Brushing your teeth twice a day, flossing at least once a day, cleaning underneath the pontic, & coming in for regular teeth cleanings & maintenance will ensure the longest lifespan for your bridge.

Dental Bridges

What Is Dental Bridge?

Traditional Bridge

Cantilever Bridge

Maryland Bridge

Procedure Overview

Request An Appointment

Dental Services

Convenient Hours

Contact Us