What is a dental bridge?
A dental bridge is a tooth replacement option where it stays glued into your teeth, so it doesn't come out of your mouth. It can replace one, two, or even three of the missing teeth.
What is the difference between a bridge and a denture?
The difference between a bridge and a denture is that the bridge stays glued into your teeth while the denture actually does come out of your mouth.
What are the pros and cons of dental bridges?
The pros of dental bridges is that they stay in your mouth. You don't have to worry about them coming out at any time. The cons is that you have to be a little bit more diligent about the flossing technique because you cannot floss in between them, but it's rather above them.
What are the different types of dental bridges?
The different types of dental bridges are all ceramic, metal with ceramic, or even gold.
What are the alternatives to dental bridges?
The alternatives to a dental bridge is, most of the time, a dental implant and sometimes a partial.
What is a removable dental bridge?
A removable dental bridge is a bridge that has to come out of your mouth and it also has some hooks that anchor to the main teeth.
What is a fixed bridge?
A fixed bridge is one that stays glued in, so you don't have to take it out.
What is a cantilever dental bridge?
A cantilever dental bridge is one where it has a missing tooth in front of the bridge, not in between.
What are the benefits of the dental bridge?
The benefits of the dental bridge is that they can look just like your natural teeth and you can be confident enough that nothing is actually coming out of your mouth.
Is dental bridge work painful?
Dental bridge work is not usually painful. It can be a little bit uncomfortable afterwards when the numbing wears off, but most patients do great afterwards.
What does the dental bridge placement procedure involve?
The dental bridge placement procedure involves usually giving a little bit of numbing so that you don't feel the cold air and the water that we're going to use. Then we clean your natural teeth. We try it in. We make sure the floss snaps in nicely. We make sure that your bite is good. We take an x-ray to verify that everything looks good inside, and then we glue it with permanent cement. Once that is set, five minutes later, we clean everything, double check your bite, and make sure that you like it.
How long does a dental bridge usually last?
A dental bridge usually lasts between 10 and 15 years if well taken care of.
How should you care for your dental bridge?
You should care for your dental bridge by flossing underneath it and between them, which is something we review the day that you receive it, and also by making sure that we see you twice a year for your dental cleanings and a yearly exam with your doctor.
If you're interested in it, please give us a call at (850) 629-5959. Here at Tallahassee Dental Specialists, we're ready to help you today.
A bridge may be recommended to you if you’re missing one or more teeth. Gaps left by missing teeth can cause the surrounding teeth to shift into the empty spaces, resulting in a non ideal bite. Bridges span the space where teeth are missing. The teeth adjacent to the space serve as anchors for the bridge.
There are different materials that the doctor will choose from, it will depend on what material will work best for your situation. Ceramic bridges are usually indicated for front teeth, but they can also be done in back teeth if the bite allows for this as well as the shape of the current teeth to be worked on.
Within ceramics, there are also different types too; they all have different strengths and esthetics. There are also ceramic crowns that are strengthened with metal inside of them. These have long term durability, a great seal, and strength.
A gold bridge doesn’t fracture or wear down opposing teeth like some ceramics do, but we all know they do not look natural. Your doctor may suggest a gold bridge in back teeth when it’s indicated for your bite.
A bridge is done in 2 visits. At the first visit, the doctor will prepare your teeth to make room for the bridge to fit comfortably. They will then take an “impression” (make a copy) of the prepared teeth to send to the lab to create the bridge (the turnaround time is 2-3 weeks). The doctor will send you home with a temporary bridge. The temporary bridge is very fragile so the patient will need to avoid hard and sticky foods. Sometimes, sensitivity may occur while in the temporary bridge.
At the second visit, the dentist will remove the temporary bridge and fit the permanent one. Sometimes numbing is necessary for this last step to make the fitting more comfortable.We will also make sure you approve the looks and feel of the permanent crown before it’s glued in.