A dental bridge is a prosthetic that’s designed to replace a row of one or more missing teeth. It consists of two dental crowns, which attach to healthy teeth on either side of the gap in your smile. These crowns hold one or more false teeth (pontics) in place. This “bridges” the gap and restores your smile. With a dental bridge from Dr. Jordan Hebert, you can restore your smile, your bite, and your oral health after tooth loss. Contact us now to schedule a consultation in Hoover today.
To begin the process, Dr. Hebert will meet with you and discuss your options for replacing your missing teeth. These include dentures, bridges, and dental implants. She’ll work with you to determine if bridges are the best option for your situation.
At your next appointment, Dr. Hebert clean and numb your mouth. Then, she will trim the two “abutment teeth.” These are the two teeth next to the gap in your smile that will get crowns, and will hold the bridge in place. After they're trimmed, she’ll take impressions and images of your mouth.
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Dr. Hebert will place temporary crowns or a temporary bridge onto your newly-trimmed teeth, then send you home. Then, she’ll work with a dental lab to build your bridge. It usually takes 2-3 weeks for the bridge to be built and sent to our Hoover office.
You’ll come in for a follow-up once your bridge arrives at Copper Leaf Dental Co. Dr. Hebert will remove your temporary crowns or bridge. Then, she will check the fit and make any necessary minor adjustments to the permanent bridge. Once everything looks good, she’ll use dental cement to permanently attach it to your teeth. Then, you’ll be sent home to enjoy your new smile.
Dental crowns are very important for dental bridges. A bridge consists of one or more false teeth, which are attached to two crowns. These crowns are what hold the false teeth in place. They're custom-built to fit onto your natural teeth, and to hold your new false teeth in place without moving or shifting. Without modern dental crowns, bridges would not be possible.
Dental bridges are permanent in the sense that they are not reversible. The tooth material that’s removed from your abutment teeth can’t be replaced. To keep your mouth healthy, you will need to keep your bridge for the rest of your life. If it was ever removed, the trimmed teeth would be more susceptible to damage or tooth decay (cavities).
However, bridges don’t last forever. They usually need to be replaced every 10-15 years. Dr. Hebert will check on your bridge during each checkup in Hoover, and make sure it’s in good shape. To keep it for as long as possible, you must maintain good oral hygiene and habits.
Compared to partial dentures, dental bridges are more durable and long-lasting. They also require less special care and maintenance. They will also never shift or move in your mouth, so you can eat, chew, and speak with confidence.
Compared to dental implants, the primary benefit of a bridge is cost, especially if you’re replacing a row of two or more adjacent missing teeth. Dental bridges are cheaper than implants in most cases, and also may be fully or partially covered by dental insurance. Implants last longer than bridges, but they are pricier and are almost never covered by insurance.
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