There are four different types of dental bridges.
At your consultation, our dentist in Justin will examine your teeth and take x-rays to look for signs of tooth decay. If oral health problems are found, these will need to be treated before we can place tooth restorations.
To create enough room for the dental crowns to fit over your teeth, we will need to file down your teeth with a dental drill. We will administer local anesthesia first to numb your mouth. We also offer additional sedation options.
Physical or digital impressions are taken of your teeth and sent to a dental lab. After taking the impressions, you will receive a temporary bridge to cover your filed-down teeth.
An outside dental lab will fabricate a bridge using a mold that was created from impressions of your teeth.
Once your bridge has been created, we will check the fit and bond it to your teeth.
By taking physical impressions or digital scans of your teeth and sending this information to an outside dental lab, the lab specialist can fabricate custom-fit crowns and a dental bridge that will blend in with the rest of your teeth.
A shade guide will be used to match the shade of these restorations with your natural teeth. The impressions serve as a mold to create crowns or a bridge that match your other teeth in shape, size, and shade. We will prepare your abutment teeth (the teeth on opposite sides of the gap) by filing down a small amount of tooth structure.
The impression is then taken and the crowns are fabricated. The crowns are attached to a pontic tooth to form a bridge and then we will roughen and etch your enamel with an acidic solution to help the adhesive stick. Then, the bridge is cemented to your teeth.
Fillings and crowns are often used to restore damaged or decayed teeth. Root canals are usually necessary for extensive decay, infected teeth, and for repairing teeth after dental injuries.
Tooth splinting is another common procedure used for loose or knocked-out teeth. The damaged tooth is attached to the nearby tooth to stabilize it, and allow it to heal and re-attach to your gums and jaw bone.
Dental bridges can be used to replace up to 3 consecutive missing teeth.
Dental crowns protect vulnerable and damaged teeth. They prevent further breakage, hold broken teeth together, complete restorations like dental implants, and provide significant strength and durability that let the patient enjoy the full functionality of their tooth.
Crowns may be recommended after receiving a large filling or root canal treatment because the tooth is at a higher risk of damage. By covering the tooth with strong materials, you can be sure that the tooth is safe when you are chewing and grinding your food.
A dental bridge is a treatment for tooth loss and also prevents the consequences of bone loss. When you lose a tooth, you suffer from bone resorption. This is irreversible and can cause facial sagging and shifting teeth.
When you replace the missing tooth or teeth with a bridge, you stop the other teeth from drifting and restore support to the facial muscles around the mouth. This also fills in gaps and helps with tooth functionality.
Dental crowns act as the anchors of the bridge, which support the pontic tooth that replaces the tooth that was lost. If the abutment teeth are not sufficiently healthy to anchor the bridge, then these teeth can be replaced with dental implants instead of being covered with dental crowns. Either way, the crowns support the bridge, because crowns are attached to the implants.
Dental crowns can be lab-made or created from CEREC technology in the dental office.
