Dental Bridges
When you are missing teeth, even some of the simplest tasks can change, becoming more difficult or challenging. Chewing & eating, speaking, and of course smiling can all see a negative impact when you have lost teeth due to decay, injury, or extraction. That is why Tropic Dental Care is proud to offer patients dental bridges in Riverside as a way to rebuild their smiles and take back some control over their lives.
Benefits of Dental Bridges
- Replace one or more teeth with ease
- Every set is customized to match your natural teeth’s appearances
- Improve ability to chew and speak
- Help prevent remaining teeth from shifting
- Long-lasting solution when cared for properly
What Are Dental Bridges?
Dental bridges provide an efficient and practical way to replace one or more missing teeth to restore your smile. Each bridge is fully customized, being individually made in our laboratory to provide a natural look and feel for your teeth replacements. They work by literally bridging the gaps between your remaining teeth. Either end of a bridge rests upon and is affixed to remaining teeth that have been prepared to hold the bridge.
When done right and with proper care, dental bridges can last patients for at least five years, with many seeing their bridges stay in good shape up to a full decade or more. But care and attentiveness will be key to keeping this tooth replacement option in working order. Maintaining dental bridges is rather straightforward and comes with very few restrictions to your diet. It mostly comes down to routine dental care and being careful when chewing hard foods.
If you have found yourself struggling with tooth loss, then Tropic Dental Care may have a solution for you. Contact us today to learn more about how we can give you back a full and beautiful smile as soon as possible.
Most patients will be able to get their bridges with only a couple of visits to Tropic Dental Care. We start with an exam of your teeth and a discussion with you to explore all your available tooth replacement options. If you decide on bridges, we can get started by preparing the surrounding teeth to hold the bridge in place. The extent of this stage depends on the state of your teeth, and can range from mildly shaping a tooth to removing a severely damaged one to make space for the bridge. In the meantime, our laboratory will be making you your custom dental bridges according to the impressions we take of your teeth, ensuring they look like a natural fit in your smile. Once the bridge is fabricated and ready, you can come in for its placement, which can take about an hour, depending on your treatment plan.
Is a Dental Bridge Right for Me?
Choosing dental bridges to restore your smile can be one of the best decisions for many patients. Living with even a single missing tooth can not only pose challenges for feeling confident in your smile but can have effects on your quality of life overall. Bridges are best for patients who want a durable solution but may need more than one tooth replaced or are not ready for dental implants. Since bridges are highly adaptable, they are a great option for a wider range of patients with a range of situations. Maybe you are missing two teeth in a row but your either teeth are damaged too? Bridges could work. Or maybe the rest of your teeth are perfect, but only one is missing. A bridge could still help you out.
For patients who need to replace entire rows of teeth, we may recommend dentures instead to give you the results you need. Additionally, for patients who want to replace only a single or a few teeth, we may recommend dental implants if you have enough jawbone mass. In every case, your dentist at Tropic Dental Care will work closely with you to find your ideal solution to get your smile looking and feeling great.
Schedule Your
Appointment Today
Do not let lost teeth get in the way of having a full and brilliant smile! With dental bridges, you can get your smile back into great shape and restore function at the same time. We believe that every patient deserves a smile they love sharing with those around them. That’s why Tropic Dental Care, dentist Riverside, is here to help you get started on your personalized dental bridges in Riverside as soon as possible. Call us or use our online form to schedule your appointment for a tooth replacement evaluation today and take the first step toward getting your smile back to 100%.
Frequently Asked Questions
A dental bridge typically costs between $2,000 and $5,000 out of pocket. The price largely depends on the type of bridge and the materials used. Implant-supported bridges cost between $6,000 and $15,000, depending on the number of teeth replaced.
The longevity of your bridge depends on the materials it is made of, your oral hygiene, diet, and lifestyle habits. Generally, dental bridges last 10 to 15 years, but may last up to 20 years with good care.
A dental bridge provides superior comfort and stability compared to dentures. Generally, implants are considered a more sophisticated method of restoration than bridges. However, a bridge can be better than an implant for people who cannot undergo implant surgery due to general or oral health, or financial considerations.
Typically, the entire process of getting a dental bridge takes 2-3 weeks and 2-3 visits to a dental office. During the first visit, your dentist will make impressions of your teeth, prepare the supporting teeth, and place a temporary bridge. Then, it will take 1-3 weeks for the lab to make a custom bridge for you. Once the permanent bridge is ready, you will have a second appointment, and your dentist will fit it to your teeth.
If you require a tooth extraction before bridge placement, the entire process may take 4-8 weeks, depending on how fast your gums and jaw heal after the extraction. Getting implant-supported bridges typically takes 4-8 months, as the implants have to fuse with your jawbone before bridge placement.
There are several main types of dental bridges:
- Traditional bridges rely on support from two adjacent teeth and can replace one or multiple missing teeth in a row. They are suitable for people who have healthy bridge-adjacent teeth and gums.
- The cantilever bridge is supported by only one adjacent natural tooth. This type is typically used for areas of the mouth that do not have to withstand much pressure from chewing and biting.
- Maryland bridges use a metal or porcelain “wing” bonded to the backs of the neighboring natural teeth, rather than full crowns, and are often used for front teeth.
- Implant-supported bridges require the surgical placement of implants that will support the bridge. This type is often used when multiple natural teeth are missing in a row.
Dental bridges themselves do not directly damage your teeth. However, dental bridges rely on the surrounding teeth for support, which can increase pressure when you chew. As a result, they may increase the risk of cavities or wear on the surrounding teeth, especially if your oral hygiene is insufficient.
The most important rules of good dental bridge care include:
- Brush your teeth with fluoride toothpaste for two full minutes twice a day.
- Make sure to brush thoroughly around the bridge and along the gumline.
- Floss your teeth every evening.
- Use special floss threaders and a water flosser to clean under the bridge.
- Avoid hard, crunchy, and sticky foods.
- Wear a mouth guard at night if you have bruxism.
- Never use your teeth as tools to open bottles, crack nuts, etc.
- Abstain from smoking.
Most dental insurance plans partially cover dental bridges, as they are considered a major restorative procedure. You may expect your insurance to cover 40% to 80% of your bridge cost. Additionally, insurance coverage often depends on deductibles, yearly maximums, and whether you had a missing tooth before your plan started. If you lost the tooth before you enrolled in your current plan, the insurance provider may deny coverage for restoring this tooth. We recommend contacting our office and your insurance company before the procedure to determine your coverage.
