If you’re missing one or more natural teeth in a row along the same arch, a dental bridge can restore the sturdy, attractive dental structure you’ve been without. Bridges aren’t removable like full and partial dentures – in fact, they’re fixed in place within the patient’s smile by using dental crowns as “anchors” that fit over adjacent healthy teeth, which helps the custom-made prosthetic literally bridge the gap in your smile.
At Franklin Dental Center, we start this process by altering the existing teeth on either side of the gap so that they’re capable of supporting placed dental crowns. Then, a detailed mold of the area is created that Dr. Franklin-Pitts sends onto the dental lab for creation. In the meantime, our team will provide a temporary bridge so that you can become used to the fit and feel in the meantime. This restoration will also protect the recontoured teeth and exposed gum tissue from harm.
Once our office has received the permanent bridge (which takes about two weeks), you’ll be invited back to the practice for a second appointment. This new bridge will be placed securely with the help of adhesive in order to ensure a strong and long-lasting fit.
When the gap in your smile is filled with a dental bridge, you enjoy the following advantages:
It is likely that your new bridge will feel a little strange at first within the mouth, but after a few days, it should start to seem like your natural teeth have been restored! We strongly recommend that patients maintain a diet of soft foods early on until they’ve reached this stage; then, you can enjoy all of your favorite meals with plenty of confidence.
Long-term missing teeth can result in damage to your oral health, your smile’s ability to function, and your overall quality of life. That’s why our Franklin Dental Center team hopes to help you replace them as soon as possible. Please reach out to us today to schedule your first visit!
This depends largely on how well you take care of them — anywhere from five to fifteen years. A patient who gets regular dental checkups and maintains good oral hygiene habits is much more likely to keep their dental bridge in good condition for longer than ten years.
The success of the bridge depends on the solid foundation the surrounding teeth provide, so it’s critical to keep those teeth healthy. This means being diligent about brushing twice a day, flossing daily, and using an antiseptic mouthwash to prevent tooth decay and gum disease. We will show you how to properly brush and floss with a bridge.
Regular cleaning appointments are important, not just because we can give you that professional deep clean, but so that we can detect any emerging dental problems early. The earlier we catch a problem, the easier (and cheaper!) the solution will be.
Another factor that goes into caring for your dental bridge is what you eat. Once you grow accustomed to the bridge, you can go back to eating the foods you enjoy, for the most part. However, some types of food present more of a problem for dental bridges and we recommend avoiding them longterm:
Not everyone with missing permanent teeth is a good candidate for a dental bridge. The factors we’re looking for include:
If you think a dental bridge might be the smile solution you’ve been looking for, get in touch with us to set up an appointment. We can determine if you’re a good candidate and get started on restoring your smile! Just make sure to check the map for directions to our practice!
Franklin