What Is a Dental Bridge?
Missing one or more of your teeth not only affects your oral health but also makes it hard to enjoy the foods you love or smile without feeling self-conscious. At Great Lakes Dentures and Implants, we offer a range of tooth replacement solutions, including dental bridges, to restore your healthy, confident smile.
What Is a Dental Bridge?
A dental bridge is a fixed restoration designed to replace one or several adjacent teeth lost due to tooth decay, gum disease, or trauma. Your replacement teeth, known as pontics, are made to look like your natural teeth, leaving you with seamless results. Dental bridges are secured to crowns placed on dental crowns or implants on either side of the gap, providing superior stability and function.
What Are the Benefits of Dental Bridges?
Dental bridges offer numerous benefits. Unlike traditional dentures, which often slip or shift, fixed bridges give you the confidence they will stay in place, so you can enjoy your favorite foods, speak with clarity, and smile with confidence once again. Your new restoration will support your facial structure, preventing a sagging appearance.
Leaving a gap in your smile is a serious matter because your teeth work together to enhance your oral health. Missing a tooth can result in the neighboring teeth shifting and tilting toward the space, leading to orthodontic concerns, including crooked teeth and problems with the bite. Moreover, missing teeth create an imbalance that causes stress on the remaining teeth and jaw joints, leading to TMJ problems and increasing the risk of gum (periodontal) disease. Fixed bridges fill the gap and distribute chewing forces evenly, protecting the surrounding teeth.
At Great Lakes Dentures and Implants, we use cutting-edge technology and best-in-line materials to create quality, durable dental bridges. Our restorations are colored, shaped, and positioned to look identical to the teeth they are replacing, delivering beautifully natural results.
What Is the Dental Bridge Process?
Dr. McGuire will take 3D scans and images of your teeth and carefully evaluate your unique needs. If you are a candidate for a fixed dental bridge, he will prepare the neighboring abutment teeth by recontouring them to make room for dental crowns. Next is taking 3D impressions of the area to serve as a model to create your bridge and its supporting crowns. Dr. McGuire will place a temporary bridge to protect your prepared teeth as you wait for your restoration.
When your permanent bridge is ready, you will return to our office for a placement appointment. Dr. McGuire will evaluate your new bridge for a perfect fit and match to your surrounding teeth before cementing it in place. The last step is adjusting it as necessary to ensure it is comfortable and does not interfere with your bite. With proper care, your new dental bridge will enhance your smile for many years to come!
Dental Bridges Near Me in Plainwell, MI
Visit Great Lakes Dentures and Implants to learn more about one or more missing teeth with a dental bridge. Dr. McGuire is committed to using the latest technology and techniques to provide quality, durable restorations. We look forward to restoring your smile’s health, function, and natural appearance. We invite you to call us at 269-888-6686 to schedule your appointment or request one online today!