Dental Bridges Available at Affordable Dental Clinic

Have a Couple of Missing Teeth: Close the Gap with Dental Bridges

May 01, 2021

A couple of missing teeth in your mouth shouldn’t make you believe Armageddon is just around the corner. Dental bridges are one of the various options available to replace the teeth you lost. Dental bridges help bridge the gap to give you a smile makeover you never thought was possible after losing your teeth.

Dental bridges are unlike dentures that sit on your gums and are fixed appliances attached to dental crowns with a Pontic in between functioning as the artificial tooth. You require dental bridges after losing your natural teeth because they help restore your smile, your ability to chew correctly, prevent your natural teeth from shifting out of position, and re-adjust your bite to distribute the forces of chewing correctly.

What Kind of Dental Bridges Can You Have?

You can have a traditional bridge consisting of a fake tooth or teeth held in place by dental crowns cemented onto the supporting teeth called abutments. Traditional bridges are the most popular and helpful if you have natural teeth on both sides of the gap left by the missing tooth.

If you have only one natural tooth neighboring the gap, you are a candidate for a cantilever dental bridge held in place by a dental crown over the supporting teeth.

If you want a permanent option, you can have implant-supported dental bridges using dental implants instead of supporting teeth to hold your fake tooth. Generally, one implant is necessary for every missing tooth to hold the bridge in position. However, if you cannot have individual implants, the bridge can support a Pontic suspended between two implant-supported crowns.

Implant-supported bridges are considered the most durable and stable system and require a couple of surgeries before you can have the artificial tooth. The first surgery is for implant placement, and the second is to place the bridge. Implant-supported bridges require a few months for the arrangement to heal before you can have your artificial teeth.

The Dental Bridge Procedure

When you visit the dentist of Greeley requesting a solution for your missing teeth, the dentist recommends dental bridges after evaluating your mouth to determine whether you are suitable for bridge placement.

After your evaluation, the supporting teeth on both sides of the gap are prepared to accommodate the dental crown. Significant tooth structure removal is necessary for the accommodation. The process is uncomfortable, but you receive local anesthesia to ensure you manage the discomfort easily.

After teeth preparation, the dentist takes impressions of the abutment teeth for the dental laboratory to customize your dental crowns and Pontic. You must wait for about three to four weeks before the dental lab returns your customized dental bridge to the dentist. Meanwhile, you receive temporary bridges over the prepared teeth for protection.

You must schedule an appointment with dentist 80634 when your customized bridges are ready. The appointment is to have your artificial tooth bonded between the abutment teeth. The dentist begins the procedure by removing the temporary bridges and checks the fit and color of the dental crowns and the Pontic. If all things are fine, bonding of the dental bridge over the abutment teeth is accomplished. As you prepare to leave the dental office, you receive instructions from the dentist to care for your artificial teeth using the following tips:

  • Brushing your teeth twice daily with fluoride toothpaste.
  • It would be best if you flossed your teeth at least once, taking particular care to ensure no food particles or plaque buildup ever develops around or beneath the dental bridge. The dentist recommends you use specific tools like floss threaders to clean around and between your dental bridge.
  • Besides visiting the dentist for six-monthly exams and cleanings, the dentist suggests avoiding eating hard foods with the fake tooth for fear of damaging the Pontic.

Are Dental Bridges the Best Option for Replacing Missing Teeth?

When you miss a tooth or several teeth, you can discuss different replacement options with your dentist. Dental bridges have many advantages, but you must consider several factors before you decide to have them. The costs of dental bridges are not similar to dentures, but the benefits they offer are significant and remain in your mouth for over a decade. Proper oral hygiene is all that is required to care for your investment in dental bridges besides following the suggestions of your dentist.

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