What Is a Dental Bridge?
A dental bridge consists of a natural-looking replacement tooth (or teeth) made of porcelain. The bridge anchors to the teeth on either side of the missing tooth to “bridge the gap” for support and stability. If you’re missing multiple teeth or have weak surrounding teeth, Dr. Orr may suggest an implant-supported tooth bridge. Bridges are permanent and, with proper care, can last a lifetime.
Fixed Dental Bridges Vs. Implant-Supported Bridges
During your consultation, we’ll discuss your tooth replacement options and examine the overall health of your teeth. Once we’ve gone over your individual needs and performed an exam, we can recommend which type of bridge is best for you.
For fixed bridges, we prepare the teeth around the gap and create your bridge in our lab. Once the bridge is made, we adjust the bridge for fit and comfort and then cement your custom-made bridge to your prepared teeth. Fixed bridges are a great option if your surrounding teeth are healthy and strong and can properly support the tooth bridge.
If your surrounding teeth aren’t strong enough to support the bridge, we can attach your custom bridge to dental implant(s) instead, a solution called an implant-supported bridge. Dental implants are titanium posts that are placed into your jawbone where you are missing teeth.
Benefits of Replacing Missing Teeth
Replacing missing teeth provides many benefits for the overall health and appearance of your smile. Dental bridges are a natural-looking restoration that can:
- Complete your smile
- Allow you to eat & chew with ease
- Keep natural teeth from shifting into gaps
- Maintain your facial shape & bite
