Dental Bridge Treatment Process

What Is a Dental Bridge?

A dental bridge is a false tooth, that is held in place by anchoring it to the surrounding teeth. The bridge is specially shaped to fit your mouth and the anchoring teeth will need to be recontoured to hold the bridge in place effectively.

How Do Dental Bridges Procedures Work?

Consultation

During your initial consultation your dentist will assess your suitability for dental bridge surgery. Good candidates for dental bridges are patients with healthy teeth surrounding the gap. If your dentist detects any underlying conditions with the surrounding teeth that may develop in the coming years, they may recommend a dental implant instead, as this form of dental procedure is not reliant on the presence of strong abutment teeth. You dentist need to take an X-ray to get a proper sense of which one is ideal for you.

Anaesthesia

Your dentist will use a local anesthetic while recontouring the abutment teeth to hold the crowns that will hold the bridge in place. The final procedure, where the bridge is cemented in place, is usually painless but your dentist may opt for the use of a local anesthetic again to ensure a comfortable experience.

Reshape the teeth next to the gap

1. In the first part, your doctor will file and reshape the teeth next to the gap that is to be filled to make them suitable for holding the bridge in place. The dentist will then make an impression of the newly shaped area and send it to a lab so that a bespoke pontic can be created for you.
2. Your dentist may then create a temporary bridge or filling. This is mostly done for aesthetic reasons but also to provide protection for the reshaped teeth before the permanent teeth are cemented into place.

Custom-made crown placement

Once the dental bridge comes back from the lab, your dentist will arrange another appointment for you. At this session, the temporary filling will be removed and the area underneath thoroughly cleaned. The dentist may employ the use of a local anesthetic before applying dental cement and permanently fixing the new bridge into position.

What Should I Expect?

The loss of a tooth or several teeth can have a strong impact on individuals, particularly when located in an especially visible spot. Bridges can be a great way to restore your confidence and your eating and speaking functions. However, each one comes with its own requirements and commitments and you should aim to balance your desire for a fast outcome with the benefits of a long-term strategy. You should spend time with your dentist going through all the available options before making a decision.

A successful dental bridge procedure will offer a number of benefits including the restoration of your smile and the shape of your face as well as the ability to chew and speak as you did before.