Replace Missing Teeth in The Front and Back with Versatile Dental Bridges
Gerald Middleton DDS is the home for tooth loss solutions for patients in Riverside, California, and surrounding locations. If you aren’t eligible or don’t fancy implants and dentures to replace your teeth, we have yet another teeth replacement option: dental bridges. Dental bridges don’t just enhance your appearance, but they yield multiple benefits for your oral health and quality of life.
How dental bridges complete your smile
A dental bridge can restore your smile if you have gaps in your front or back teeth due to losing one or multiple teeth. Dental bridges comprise prosthetic teeth (pontics) made from life-looking porcelain. A bridge is placed in the gap without teeth to complete your beautiful smile.
Traditional bridges are secured to the neighboring teeth using dental crowns. However, patients can opt for Maryland or resin-bonded bridges. Instead of dental crowns, these bridges use metal clasps bonded to the back surfaces of the adjacent healthy teeth on either side of the gap. However, since resin-bonded bridges are less stable than traditional bridges, they’re ideal for front teeth not involved in heavy grinding and chewing food.
We aren’t done yet with dental bridge types. Patients looking for a more stable option can opt for an implant-supported bridge. Implant bridges are anchored by implants “rooted” in the jawbone. Many patients love implant bridges for their stability and the fact that they don’t alter the adjacent teeth.
What to expect from dental bridge treatment
A life without teeth is miserable—simple tasks like eating, smiling, and speaking become a source of pain and embarrassment. However, dental bridges can change all that. Following the simple steps below, we can transform your smile and life with dental bridges.
- Initial consultation: We’ll examine your oral health, including the condition of the surrounding teeth and gums, to determine if a dental bridge is the right solution for you.
- Preparation: If you’re a suitable candidate for a bridge, we prepare the adjacent teeth (abutment teeth) by removing a small amount of enamel. This allows for the placement of dental crowns.
- Impressions: We take your mouth impressions, which serve as a mold for creating the bridge and the crowns. We’ll place a temporary bridge before the permanent bridge is ready to protect your prepared teeth.
- Bridge placement: Once the bridge is ready, we’ll cement it onto the prepared abutment teeth, securing the pontics in place. We’ll make necessary adjustments until your bite is comfortable and natural.
Your bridge may require a few days to get used to. However, once the restoration settles in your mouth, you will eat, smile, and talk like you have 100% natural teeth!
Start your smile transformation today!
Dental bridges are a perfect choice for teeth replacement. They are strong, durable, life-looking, improve teeth alignment, and easy to maintain. If you think dental bridges might be the best solution for tooth loss, please call (951) 688-3442 to schedule an appointment with Gerald Middleton, DDS.
