Restorative Dentistry

Dental Bridges

Every tooth plays a vital role in speaking, chewing, and maintaining the proper alignment of your other teeth. While tooth loss isn’t an inevitable part of aging, if it does occur, replacing lost teeth is essential to preserve the function of your mouth. Fortunately, there are several effective options available to address tooth loss.

A dental bridge is an effective restorative device designed to replace missing teeth by anchoring artificial teeth to nearby natural teeth, referred to as abutment teeth. These bridges come in two main types: fixed bridges and removable bridges.

Fixed bridges are permanently attached, typically by placing crowns on the abutment teeth or bonding the artificial teeth directly to them. In contrast, removable bridges are secured to surrounding teeth using metal clasps or precision attachments, allowing for easy removal when necessary.

If you’re missing one or more teeth, you likely recognize the impact on your appearance and overall dental health. Our teeth play a crucial role in essential everyday activities such as speaking and eating. Missing teeth can hinder these functions, making it vital to explore options for replacement. Dental bridges offer a reliable solution to restore your dental health and enhance your smile.

There are a few important reasons to think about getting a dental bridge. For starters, they help with both how your mouth functions and how you look. A bridge can support your lips and cheeks, preventing that sunken appearance that can happen when you lose a back tooth, which often makes people look older.

But the biggest reason to consider a dental bridge is to protect your dental health. Our teeth are designed to work together, and when one is missing, it can create stress on your gums and other teeth. This imbalance can lead to various problems, including an increased risk of gum disease, which is something no one wants to deal with.

Missing teeth can also impact your speech. Teeth are essential for making many sounds clearly, so a dental bridge can help improve your ability to speak well.

A dental bridge can not only enhance your smile but also keep your mouth healthy and functioning properly. If you’re missing teeth and looking for a solution, a dental bridge might just be the right choice for you.

The process of attaching a dental bridge typically requires two or three appointments. During the first visit, Dr. Kueckels will prepare the teeth adjacent to the gap by removing a portion of the enamel and dentin.

To ensure that the bridge fits accurately and matches the bite perfectly, impressions of your teeth are taken and sent to a lab where the bridge is custom-made.

Fixed bridges are then cemented to the natural teeth next to the gap. A pontic (false tooth) replaces the missing tooth, while dental crowns are placed on the prepared natural teeth to provide support for the bridge.