Is a missing tooth leaving a gap in your grin? Dental bridges are a non-surgical treatment that can close the gap with an artificial tooth. The bridge aligns with the rest of your smile for a seamless look and natural feel.
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After cleaning and numbing your mouth, your dentist in Littleton will prepare the teeth next to your missing tooth. These “abutment teeth” will hold your crowns, which will be permanently attached to the bridge. Next, your dentist will take impressions or models of your teeth and send them to a lab to build your dental bridge.
Depending on your needs, your dentist will place a temporary resin bridge to protect your prepared abutment teeth, or two temporary dental crowns. Either way, your prepared teeth will be covered and protected until your permanent bridge can be placed.
Once your permanent bridge is ready, you’ll come into the office to have the bridge checked for proper fit. Minor adjustments may be made to ensure that your bridge looks and feels natural. Your dentist will then use powerful dental cement to attach the dental crowns and bridge permanently to your abutment teeth, restoring your smile and your bite.
Self-ligating braces appear almost identical to traditional braces, but utilize clips.
Yes. Dental bridges, just like all dental prostheses, can become damaged over time, or simply worn down from daily use when chewing, biting, smiling, and speaking. Typically, bridges last between 10-20 years, but the expected lifespan of your bridge may be different depending on the type of bridge, how well you care for your teeth, and a few other factors.
Dental bridges are made of high-quality, durable, highly aesthetic dental ceramics.
Dental bridges are considered to be a permanent treatment since they can only be removed by a dental professional and they typically last 10-15 years or longer.
In addition, the tooth preparation procedure for your abutment teeth is not reversible. It requires the permanent removal of enamel from one or more of your teeth, so you may want to keep this in mind when deciding whether or not a bridge is right for you.
While every type of bridge is different, dental bridges all share similar characteristics, and work in the same way. A bridge is used to attach one or more false teeth to your existing teeth – locking them into place by using dental crowns (fixed and cantilever bridges) or metal “wings” that attach to the rear of your teeth (Maryland bridges).
Because they won’t move or shift, they’re a great alternative to partial dentures. And since they do not require invasive surgery, some patients prefer dental bridges as an alternative to dental implants.