Dental Bridges
Having gaps between teeth can affect your life in several ways. When you lose teeth, it can impact your overall oral health and impair speaking and chewing. Dental bridges can fill those gaps and act like your natural teeth, making them an excellent way to restore function and aesthetics.
A dental bridge is a dental appliance that fills a gap left by one or more missing teeth. It’s anchored to remaining natural teeth on either side of the gap. Custom-made appliances can improve bite and appearance while supporting good oral health.
Dental bridges used to require impressions to create the custom appliance. However, we use iTero 3D scanning to capture the necessary images to make your appliance. The rest of the process involves shaping the adjacent teeth and attaching dental crowns to support the bridge.
Typically, dental bridges last from five to fifteen years depending on the individual. It’s common for permanent bridges to last ten years or more with proper care.
Permanent vs. Removable Dental Bridges
Permanent bridges attach to adjacent teeth. They look and feel like your natural teeth and remain fixed in place. Removable dental bridges, also known as partial dentures, attach to anchors on adjacent teeth but you can remove them for easier cleaning. Partial dentures may be a better solution if your teeth are not in good enough shape to support a permanent bridge.
Typically, getting a dental bridge isn’t painful. That said, some steps of the process can cause slight, temporary sensitivity. Your dentist would use a local anesthetic to numb the area during treatments to help manage your discomfort.
Your gums need to heal after an extraction. It takes five or six months for your gums to be stable enough to handle a permanent bridge. However, your dentist will likely place a temporary bridge or partial denture while you heal.
Yes, it is possible to bridge front teeth.
Before you start looking for “dental bridges near me,” you may want to know what you’re getting into. While a dental bridge can restore your smile, there are a few potential drawbacks.
You will lose some healthy tooth enamel on adjacent teeth in order to cap them with crowns. This process could put your healthy teeth at greater risk for developing decay if the bridge doesn’t fit properly.
Additionally, sometimes the adjacent teeth aren’t strong enough to support the bridge. It may weaken the teeth further and lead to more substantial restorative treatments, like dental implants.
Knowing how much a dental treatment costs can make a big difference for many patients. Dental bridge services can cost anywhere from $1500 up to $5000 depending on the complexity of the case.
If you have dental insurance, your coverage might cover at least part of the dental bridge cost. You could also get more affordable dental bridges as a member of our Dental Savings Plan or with one of our flexible payment plans.
At Jefferson Dental & Orthodontics, we provide high-quality dental care in state-of-the-art facilities. Our modern offices feature coffee bars and special play and treatment rooms for kids.
Our dental teams provide thorough professional exams, every time, taking special care to deliver a comfortable, hassle-free dental visit. We’ll attend to any immediate issues you may have, including treatment of dental emergencies.
We will answer your questions thoroughly so that you can make informed health decisions, and explain any procedures in your language of preference. Our teams will also teach you how to keep your mouth healthy.
