Bridge
So you’ve lost a tooth, so now what?
Losing a tooth can have serious consequences, as each tooth supports the others around it and promotes proper function of our jaws. Leaving a space can cause the teeth behind it to shift or tilt towards the space, and the teeth above the gap can come down into the space possibly exposing the roots. An incorrect bite with missing teeth can cause all your other teeth to wear down faster as each tooth is exposed to inappropriate amount of force day in and day out. A dental bridge is a great option to replace the space!
What is a dental bridge
A dental bridge combines the two teeth (or implants) on either side of the gap to connect them to a fake tooth in the middle to restore the appearance and functionality of the missing tooth. The two teeth are capped or crowned and attached to the middle piece or artificial tooth called the pontic. For larger bridges, more teeth may need to be crowned as well as more pontics used.
They are fixed in place and do not come out, unlike dentures. By getting a bridge for your missing tooth or teeth you will be able to preserve a natural looking smile, prevent teeth from shifting out of place and overall restoring your mouth back to proper health and function.
There are several types of bridges from a traditional bridge, described above, to a cantilever bridge which there is a pontic attached to a single crowned tooth. This only works for certain circumstances as the tooth being crowned needs to be strong enough to withstand forces for two teeth. These are rarely done in modern dentistry. One last type of bridge is a Maryland bridge, in which a pontic is attached to the back of a tooth only. These are also rarely done and exclusively used for specific front teeth only.
Dental Bridge Procedure
Getting a dental bridge will require at least 2 different visits. After deciding a bridge is the best option for you, we will painlessly numb the areas needed. The each tooth needing to be crowned will be shaved down as needed so a perfect fitting bridge can fit on top of it. A molding of the shaved teeth is taken and sent to one of our expert dental labs for processing. You will leave this visit with a temporary bridge or temporary crowns on each tooth, basically leaving exactly the way you had come in.
The next visit will be the day your custom fitting bridge will be permanently fixed onto your teeth. The temporary will be removed, teeth cleaned and after verifying everything fits, a dental grade cement is used to attach it to your teeth, ensuring it will be on for many years to come. If for some reason it doesn’t fit, we will redo everything meticulously at no charge to you and expedite its return.
Dental Bridge Cost
At Dental Restoration Pros, we know a dental bridge is a significant cost often barely or not covered by any insurance at all. We aim to provide you a quality restoration at an unbeatable flat fee, which is why our bridges start at only $1999. If you need more than 3 units, the price only increases by a discounted fee of the price of our crown, which are $699. At other dentists, you may find the charge per tooth exceeds $1000 with a simple bridge exceeding $3000! We encourage you to not overpay, and consider us for all your dental bridge needs. We also always give a 2 year guarantee on all of our work, so you can be confident in the investment you are making into your oral health.