Durable Dental Bridges Can Restore Your Smile and Confidence
If you have lost one or more teeth, the skilled dentists at Redlands Family Dentistry may be able to place a custom-made dental bridge to restore your oral form and function. Our experienced team will work very carefully and pay great attention to detail to ensure your bridge will have a lifelike, aesthetic appearance. We may even use our advanced CEREC®technology to create a convenient, same-day dental bridge at our Redlands, CA, practice.
Is a Dental Bridge Appropriate for You?
A dental bridge can replace one to three consecutively missing teeth. These restorations are made of multiple dental crowns fused together. Your nearby teeth will support a traditional dental bridge, which means that they must be strong enough to uphold the restoration. If these teeth have suffered severe dental decay or other damage, your dentist may recommend a different restorative option.
We typically recommend state-of-the-art implant-supported bridges because of the superior benefits they provide. To qualify for this treatment, you must have a healthy jawbone. Our team will use x-rays and scans to examine your jaw and help you determine the right treatment for you.
Types of Bridges
Whenever possible, we will use CEREC® technology to take 3-D scans for a same-day restoration. Your dentist can easily manipulate these images to design your bridge on a computer there in the treatment room. Our in-office milling machine will then create your bridge from a solid piece of porcelain in less than an hour. In other cases, our doctors may recommend a lab-created bridge. Technicians at our partner lab will craft your bridge, using IPS e.max® porcelain. This material is almost as strong as metal, yet it offers an incredibly lifelike sheen and color. Your restoration can also be made with a metal base for superior strength.
Placing Your Dental Bridge
Before placing a traditional bridge, your dentist will need to reshape the teeth that will support your restoration. Our team works very gently and conservatively, preserving as much of your natural tooth as possible. After preparing your teeth, a member of our team will take impressions to create your bridge. If you are receiving a lab-created bridge, we will then provide a temporary restoration while your permanent bridge is being created. Lab-made bridges typically take two weeks to complete. If you are receiving a same-day bridge, you will not require a temporary. Once your bridge is finished, we will make sure it fits properly, maintaining your natural bite, and will then secure it in place.
To place an implant-supported bridge, Dr. Hoffer will perform a brief oral surgery. During this procedure, he will place two or more dental implants in your jaw. After your jaw heals around the posts, we can attach your custom-made bridge.
After your smile is restored with a dental bridge, you can enjoy a greater sense of self-confidence, and a better quality of life.
How Can a Bridge Benefit You?
Dental bridges offer a number of benefits. Your bridge can completely restore your dental function, allowing you to eat a full range of foods. The treatment process is also simple. Often, you can enjoy a renewed smile after just one appointment. In addition, bridges are very durable, especially when you receive your restoration from an experienced dentist. After your smile is restored, you can enjoy a greater sense of self-confidence, and a better quality of life.
Implant-supported bridges are able to offer more significant advantages as well. These restorations will be highly lifelike and stable, receiving superior support from implant posts. Additionally, because dental implants fuse with your jawbone, they can prevent bone loss, preserving the shape and structure of your jaw and features.
Find Out Your Restoration Options
A dental bridge can provide lasting restorative benefits to your smile. To learn more about dental bridges and to find out if this treatment is right for you, contact Redlands Family Dentistry today.
