A dental bridge is a way of filling any gaps left by missing teeth. If you have any such gaps, it is a good idea to consider a bridge; leaving gaps for too long could cause misalignment among your remaining teeth. They would drift from their correct positions to fill the gap.
The big issue with bridges is how to anchor them in place. There are three types of dental bridges, each supported slightly differently.
- Traditional dental bridges – which are anchored by crowns on the two neighboring teeth. Even though the neighboring teeth are healthy, some of their enamel is removed to make room for the crown. Then the artificial tooth replacing your missing tooth is attached to them on each side.
- Bonded dental bridges – which are anchored by a metal framework with a “wing” on each side that connects to the existing teeth
- Cantilever dental bridges – which, as the name suggests, are anchored only on one side. When no tooth is present on one side of the gap (that is, it’s a back tooth that’s missing), the two teeth on the other side are given crowns and this provides extra strong support from that side to make up for the lack of support on the first side.
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“I have received endless compliments on my smile. When I am on TV hosting a skating event, I smile with confidence and that smile creates a warm and welcoming feeling for the audience.
Dr. Chung and his team are very friendly and professional. Thank you, Softouch Dental!”
-Michael Weiss, Champion Figure Skater
Benefits of Dental Bridges
A good dental bridge will:
- Restore your full ability to chew and speak
- Prevent other teeth from moving to fill the gap
- Retain the youthful shape of your face
- Restore your smile
- Keep your bite more healthy by distributing the bite forces properly
Besides the three traditional ways of attaching a dental bridge, there is a fourth way which modern cosmetic dentists offer. That is supporting the bridge with a dental implant. This is the best way, because it not only replaces the missing tooth, but the missing tooth root as well.
How Do I Know If I Need Dental Bridges?
Dental bridges are ideal for patients who are missing one to four teeth in a row or have a large gap of missing teeth. Dental bridges are often considered the middle ground between partial dentures and dental implants, as they are usually more comfortable and affordable for the average patient.
Who Is A Candidate for Dental Bridges?
Ideal candidates for dental bridges should have good oral health. While missing teeth is okay, your oral health needs to be in good shape, free of gum disease or other oral conditions that may make it difficult to recover from the dental bridge procedure. If you are someone with underlying oral conditions, they should be fixed and addressed before beginning preparation for your dental bridges.
What Are the Contraindications for Dental Bridges?
If you have severe periodontitis, malocclusion, gum disease, or are prone to oral infection, you should not get dental bridges. People with teeth that are broken or decayed may also struggle with maintaining a healthy dental bridge, as their teeth will have been weak before the procedure. If this sounds like you, we recommend scheduling a consultation with us to address your oral health before beginning your dental bridge procedure.
How Do I Prepare for My Dental Bridge Procedure?
Preparing for your dental bridge procedure may take extra dental work. This is to ensure that your teeth and mouth are healthy enough to sustain the dental bridges being put in place. Consulting with Dr. Chung about your dental needs before your dental bridge procedure will play a key role in determining whether or not you’ll need a tooth extraction or other dental work done before getting bridges.
What is Recovery Like?
Recovery after getting your dental bridges placed is relatively quick. While patients may experience soreness, tooth and gum sensitivity, and discomfort in their mouth after their procedure, these side effects will begin to disappear within a week or two as your mouth gets adjusted to the feeling of your dental bridges as if they were your real teeth. During your recovery period, it’s best to stay away from sticky, hard, staining, salty, and acidic foods to preserve the health of your bridges.
How Do I Care for My Dental Bridges?
To make your dental bridges last as long as possible, it’s important that patients stick to a routine of brushing their teeth twice a day and flossing once a day. A water pick may also be used to help clean underneath the bridge. Using a mouthwash designed to kill bacteria can also optimize your oral health. It’s recommended to avoid whitening pastes as they may encourage the breakdown of the bridge faster than normal.
Schedule A Consultation with Dr. Chung!
Our Oakton cosmetic dentistry practice believes that an educated patient is the best kind. Please give us a call at 703-319-6990 or fill out the contact form on this page to email Softouch Dental care if you would like to have a personal consultation about dental bridges with Dr. Michael Chung. We will be glad to answer your dental bridge questions and explain how the various procedures might benefit you.
Our office serves Vienna, Oakton, Tysons Corner, Reston, Arlington, Fairfax, Washington D.C. and the Northern Virginia area.
