Restoring Your Smile’s Beauty and Function with Natural-looking Dental Bridges
Even with advanced preventive dental care, tooth loss is still common among Americans. The American College of Prosthodontists reports that approximately 178 million Americans have lost at least one tooth, with about 40 million missing all their teeth. Tooth loss isn’t just a cosmetic issue — it impacts your ability to eat fruits, meat, veggies, and other nutritious foods.
High Forest Dental in Littleton, Colorado, understands the impact of tooth loss on your mental and physical well-being. Dr. Allison Brown and the team offer high-quality dental bridges to restore your smile’s beauty and function.
What is a dental bridge?
A dental bridge consists of artificial teeth (pontics) placed on the space left without teeth and supported by healthy teeth (abutments) on either side of the gap. Artificial teeth can be made from alloy, gold, and other materials, but we prefer porcelain because of its unrivaled aesthetics.
Dental bridges come in many sizes and shapes. A traditional bridge has pontics secured by dental crowns installed on the abutments. The patients must have healthy teeth on both sides of the edentulous gap for conventional bridges. Patients can also consider Maryland bridges. These bridge types are secured on the surrounding teeth using a metal framework.
Looking for dental bridges with optimal stability? Implant bridges present an excellent option. These bridges are supported by a titanium post surgically embedded in the jawbone. Implant-supported bridges are more stable and functional than traditional bridges.
The dental bridge procedure
If you want to replace your missing teeth with a dental bridge, the first step is to book a consultation with Dr. Brown. We’ll examine your overall oral health to determine your suitability for a dental bridge. If given the green light, we’ll start prepping your teeth.
Teeth preparation begins with numbing your gums to minimize pain and discomfort. Next, we shave down the abutment teeth to allow dental crowns to fit properly. Then, we take impressions of your prepped teeth to be used by our lab technicians to craft your bridge and crowns. Since fabricating your dental restorations takes a few weeks, we’ll place a temporary bridge to protect the prepped teeth.
Once the permanent bridge is ready, you’ll book another appointment with our office. We’ll remove the provisional bridge and temporarily place your new bridge to ensure it fits comfortably. If necessary, we’ll make a few adjustments to the bridge until your bite feels natural. Finally, we use strong dental cement to secure your bridge permanently to your teeth.
Benefits of dental bridges
Expertly installed dental bridges can last over ten years with proper care. Dental bridges are a long-term investment in your smile and oral health.
The other benefits of dental bridges include:
- Easy maintenance
- Restored oral function
- Renewed confidence
- Improved oral health
- Versatility to replace one or more teeth anywhere in the mouth
- Prevent the nearby teeth from shifting
For high-quality dental bridges in Littleton, CO, please call (303) 951-3717 to book an appointment with High Forest Dental. Our dental bridges are carefully crafted to fit perfectly and look remarkably natural. Take a step towards a healthier and happier you by contacting us today!