A bridge is a dental restoration that fills the area where one or more teeth are missing. It is like a place holder for the teeth you have lost. The purpose of the bridge is to restore and maintain the equilibrium of your bite and to keep your smile. If you lose a tooth and do not get a bridge, over time the bone around the missing tooth may shrink and the jawbone that supports the lips and cheeks can change. This can cause the face to sag and make you look older. Without a bridge, the remaining teeth can also shift. This is often serious as it can lead to tooth decay, additional tooth loss as well as gum disease and further bone loss. Replacing missing teeth is often considered a necessary step in general and preventive dentistry.
There are a variety of tooth replacement strategies available in the fabrication of dental bridges. Our staff can explain all the options and benefits and help you determine what is best for you. Sometimes an immediate bridge option is available and may be done on very short or even no notice. Usually a bridge usually requires more than one visit. On the first visit in the making of your bridge we will take an impression of your teeth and the empty space and send the impression to a lab that will make the bridge. For a fixed bridge that will be cemented or bonded in place a temporary bridge is most often put in place until the permanent one, made exactly for you, is ready. At your next visit your permanent bridge is fitted, adjusted and permanently cemented in place.
Bridges are made of a variety of materials. Our dentists will discuss the various options and decide what is best for you. Often we will also discuss implants when we are discussing replacing a single tooth or teeth.