A dental bridge is an appliance that can replace one or more missing teeth. It can restore your ability to eat and talk properly, and enhance the appearance of your teeth and smile.
Here’s more about what dental bridges are and how they work, and how to determine whether this treatment is right for you.
What Is a Dental Bridge?
An accident, injury, or oral health condition can sometimes cause you to lose one or more teeth. Missing teeth can cause great discomfort, as they may interfere with your ability to chew or talk, and affect your self-esteem and confidence. A dental bridge is a permanent replacement for missing teeth that looks and functions just as well as real, natural teeth.
Dental bridges are customized based on the type, size, number, and location of the teeth you are missing. Each artificial tooth—known as a pontic—is made so that it looks almost identical to the missing tooth. All pontics are anchored to neighboring teeth next to the gap so they can permanently stay in place.
Porcelain is the most common material used in dental bridges—especially those that replace front teeth given how they are close in color to natural teeth. However, dental bridges can also be made from gold or alloys. Your dentist will work with you to customize your bridge as best as possible based on your personal preferences.
Who Needs a Dental Bridge?
A dental bridge can benefit anyone who is missing one or more of their permanent teeth and wants to restore full functionality to their mouth and jaw.
You may be an ideal candidate for a dental bridge if you:
- Are missing one or more permanent teeth
- Are in good overall health, and have no oral health conditions that can compromise the bridge
- Have strong, healthy teeth next to the gaps that can support the dental bridge
- Are dedicated to taking good care of your teeth and the dental bridge
- Are having problems chewing and talking after losing one or more teeth
- Have the ability to pay for the dental bridge and treatment
Dental bridges typically range in price between $700 and $4,500. A variety of factors affect the cost, such as the type of material used and the number of teeth replaced. Some health insurance policies cover the cost of dental bridges, and some do not. Before you decide whether dental bridges are right for you, you may want to shop around among dentists to find affordable, quality treatment.
What Are the Benefits of a Dental Bridge?
Though dental bridges may be artificial, they function and look nearly the same as real, natural teeth. This dental appliance offers countless benefits for people with one or more missing teeth.
Some of the benefits of a dental bridge include:
- They can restore your ability to speak normally. Missing teeth can sometimes cause you to talk with a lisp, and make it difficult for you to pronounce certain words.
- They can help you eat and chew food more thoroughly and comfortably.
- They can enhance your appearance, especially your smile.
- They can restore and maintain your facial structure by preventing bone loss at the site of the missing teeth.
- They can prevent neighboring teeth from moving around to fill the empty spaces, which can increase the risk for problems related to bite and teeth alignment later on.
What’s Involved With Getting a Dental Bridge?
Dental bridges are usually implanted in stages. You may need at least two appointments before the bridge is permanently placed.
First, your dentist will reshape the natural teeth next to the gaps so they can support the bridge. This requires removing a small amount of enamel from those teeth. Next, your dentist will take impressions of your teeth and send them to a lab where a technician will create a bridge that fits comfortably in your mouth. This process usually takes between two and four weeks.
In the meantime, while the technician is creating your permanent bridge, your dentist will place a temporary bridge in your mouth. When the final bridge is ready, your dentist will contact you to come back in for the second appointment.
When you go back in, your dentist will replace the temporary bridge with the permanent bridge. Cement will be used to bond it in place, and you can go home to recover. Recovery usually takes about one to two weeks, during which your gums and teeth will heal naturally.
After your dental bridge is placed, your dentist will encourage you to take good care of your teeth—specifically the natural teeth that are holding your bridge in place. If you develop an oral health condition such as gum disease, your gums and bone structure may weaken and cause the bridge to loosen or fall out.
Dental bridges can last many years when properly cared for. However, you may need to replace the bridge if you experience another injury or accident, or develop an oral health condition.
Talk to your dentist if you think you may be a good candidate for a dental bridge. Your dentist can perform an exam and talk to you about all your available treatment options.
Resource Links
- “Dental Bridges: The Cost of Bridging the Gap” via Consumer Guide to Dentistry