Restorative Dentistry
Dental Bridges
Missing teeth don’t just affect your smile’s appearance- it also impacts the surrounding teeth and how your bite and jaw function. This is why it is so important to replace missing teeth. If you’re missing more than one consecutive tooth, our skilled doctors can help “bridge” the gap with a high-quality dental bridge!
What is a Dental Bridge?
A dental bridge is a custom-made prosthesis designed to fill the gap left by one or more adjacent missing teeth. Made of ceramic or composite materials, a bridge attaches a replacement tooth by using the teeth on either side of the missing tooth for support. You can compare a dental bridge to a puzzle piece or Tetris piece that fits over the surrounding teeth and bridges the gap where the missing teeth were.
With the help of a bridge, you have a better chance at preventing your remaining teeth from shifting or over-erupting, and from suffering damage as a result of uneven bite pressure.
The Advantages of Dental Bridges
- Allows normal chewing function
- Ability to improve speech
- Improved self-esteem and confidence
- Helps maintain the shape of your face
- Prevents surrounding teeth from shifting out of place
Constructing a Dental Bridge
Building a dental bridge is much like building any other bridge: it begins with adequate support. To stabilize your replacement teeth or pontics, a bridge consists of dental crowns on either side, which are secured to the teeth on each side of the gap in your smile.
The pontics between the crowns will replace the teeth you’ve lost (usually up to three), allowing the dental bridge to span the empty space and restore your smile’s beauty and ability to function.
If you’ve lost a significant amount of teeth, or if the few teeth you’ve lost are not next to each other, Dr. Brent Cornelius, Dr. Jessica Geurkink, or Dr. Sara Bustos, will discuss alternative tooth replacement options, such as dental implants or a partial denture.
What to Expect When Getting a Dental Bridge
CEREC (Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramics) technology makes it possible to complete your bridge in just one appointment at Sky Creek Dental! First, we use 3D imaging technology to scan the teeth rather than taking impressions. Next, the teeth on either side of the tooth are gently prepared to make room for the bridge since they are becoming the support structure for the prosthesis. Then the prepared teeth are scanned again and the measurements are taken by the software to create a digital rendering of the bridge. At this point, the digital measurements are sent to an onsite milling machine, and the bridge is created while you wait. Once the bridge is ready, we will make any final adjustments and attach it in place.
Building (Dental) Bridges to a Healthier Smile!
A custom dental bridge restores your smile’s appearance as well as the proper function of your bite after tooth loss. To learn more about replacing your lost tooth/teeth with a bridge, call Sky Creek Dental in Keller at 817-431-4200.
We proudly serve the residents of Keller, Roanoke, Trophy Club, Westlake, Southlake, North Richland Hills, and all surrounding communities.