Dental Bridges – Plano, TX
A “Bridge” for Your Smile Gaps
Instead of a single tooth, maybe you’ve lost a few teeth. They might have even been adjacent to each other. Still, you shouldn’t feel too gloomy about the situation. Truthfully, there’s a way to fill your smile gap effectively: dental bridges in Plano! As provided by Dr. Bonds and his team, these tooth replacements will restore your full grin. If you want to learn more about them, keep reading or book a consultation with our office!
What is a Dental Bridge?
A dental bridge is a special type of oral appliance. It replaces one to four teeth at once, usually with crowns fused to a pontic (i.e., replacement tooth). That means it’s a fixed restoration that remains permanent and irremovable.
Typically, the ideal dental bridge candidate has each of the following:
- One or more missing adjacent teeth along the same arch
- Sufficiently healthy teeth and bone structure (to support the bridge)
- Great oral hygiene habits (which will help a bridge’s stability)
The Types of Dental Bridges
Before you actually get a dental bridge, you’ll need to consult Dr. Bonds. Doing so lets him learn about your oral health, smile goals, medical history, etc. Based on these factors, he can then confirm if a dental bridge suits your needs.
If Dr. Bonds approves treatment, the consult will also settle your ideal bridge type. In particular, you can expect our office to suggest one of the following:
Traditional Dental Bridge
Overall, the traditional dental bridge is the most popular kind. It’s composed of an artificial tooth secured by dental crowns. The latter prosthetics cement to abutment teeth for stability.
A traditional bridge is best for patients with a small smile gap. After all, it needs nearby natural teeth to work. Note, though, that this bridge requires the dentist to remove bits of your enamel.
Implant Bridge
Unlike a traditional one, an implant bridge doesn’t rely on dental crowns. Rather, it affixes the pontic to dental implants – prosthetics placed directly in your jaw. The resulting treatment is more secure and less prone to slipping.
Naturally, an implant bridge has perks that a regular one doesn’t. Perhaps the most notable is that it doesn’t require the dentist to remove any enamel.
The Benefits of Getting a Dental Bridge
Whichever kind you get, a dental bridge will solve your missing teeth problems. To that end, its most common benefits include:
- A Full & Beautiful Smile: A dental bridge relies on high-quality materials, so you can expect natural and lifelike results. In fact, the appliance should blend seamlessly with the rest of your grin.
- Lower Oral Health Risks: Left untreated, smile gaps tend to house harmful oral bacteria. Your dental bridge, however, would fill these spaces and reduce the risk of gum disease.
- Easy Eating & Speaking: Getting a dental bridge means extra teeth, which will help you speak and eat. As such, treatment will let you mingle more easily in social situations.
At River Bend Dental of Plano, you can trust a dental bridge to renew your smile. With that said, go ahead and book a visit with our office today!
Dental Bridges FAQs
How Long Should a Dental Bridge Last?
Depending on a variety of factors, a dental bridge can last anywhere from five to fifteen years before giving out. If you want yours to last for as long as possible, there are a few things that you can do:
- Maintain excellent oral hygiene, brushing your dental bridge thoroughly each year
- Avoid eating foods that could damage your teeth
- Avoid negative lifestyle choices, like smoking, nail-biting, or chewing ice
You can also expect dental bridges in the front of your mouth to last longer than those in the back, as they are under less pressure on a day-to-day basis.
Do Dental Bridges Look Natural?
We craft our dental bridges out of materials that are closely color-matched to your teeth. They’re based on detailed impressions that we take of your smile and are meticulously crafted to match. That being the case, you can expect your dental crown to look and feel incredibly natural once you’re used to having them in your mouth.
It helps that dental bridges will be permanently adhered to your teeth, which means that you won’t have to worry about them falling out in the way that you might with dentures.
How Do I Clean Under My Dental Bridge?
One feature of a dental bridge is that there’s a small gap between your restoration and your gums. It’s important to the long-term success of your dental bridge that you clean under it, which will take some getting used to.
There are a couple of ways to go about this. First, you could use a floss threader, which is like a soft plastic sewing needle that makes it easier to slip dental floss into small places. Interdental brushes can also be useful to this end.
Finally, if you’re willing to make a more substantial investment, a Waterpik could be the thing for you. These use pressurized water to blast away food particles, which can be an excellent option for people who lack the dexterity (or the patients) to use other methods of cleaning between the teeth.
Can Dental Bridges Get Cavities?
The dental bridge itself isn’t able to develop cavities, but it is possible for bacteria to sneak under the dental bridge and begin to attack the enamel. This being the case, you should still be wary of developing cavities on the teeth that are covered with a dental bridge. This is even more likely if your dental bridge is on the older side, as it’s possible that the cement holding it in place has aged a bit and developed cracked.
For this reason, it’s important that you not let your dental hygiene lapse just because you have a dental bridge.