Missing teeth cause more than just cosmetic concerns. They affect your bite pattern and make chewing or speaking more difficult. To prevent further tooth loss, it’s important to pursue tooth replacement options. At Bethesda Family Smiles, we offer dental bridges as a tooth replacement option to patients who have suffered tooth loss.
Dental bridges cosmetically restore your smile and give your remaining dental structures additional support. They are perfect for patients missing one or more consecutive teeth. Learn more about dental bridges below.
Dental Bridges in Bethesda, MD
Dr. Khanna is an experienced restorative dentist in Bethesda, MD. She helps patients restore their smiles following tooth loss using dental bridges. Our dental bridges discreetly hold a prosthetic tooth instead of a missing tooth to restore your natural smile’s look, feel, and function. We also offer other tooth replacement options, such as dental implant restorations, dentures, and partials.
Traditional Dental Bridges
Traditional bridges use adjacent natural teeth to support the dental bridge. They can be either removable or fixed. We prepare your natural teeth to make room for the bridge. These teeth support the row of missing teeth that you’re replacing. It places a lot of wear and tear on these teeth.
They’re more likely to suffer from tooth decay and wear down faster than normal teeth. We recommend fortifying the anchor teeth with dental crowns to avoid the extra stress on your teeth. However, dental crowns still require the removal of tooth structure. You also don’t regain your full bite function with a traditional bridge. You won’t be able to eat the full range of foods you want because your bridge can’t handle them.
However, traditional bridges are cheaper than implant-supported ones, which is a big benefit if you’re worried about your budget. You can also get that restoration quicker. Dental implants require a surgical procedure that requires months of healing before your restoration can be completed. A traditional bridge can be completed within a few short weeks.
Implant-Supported Dental Bridges
Instead of using your natural teeth, dental implants support this type of dental bridge. There’s no impact on your natural teeth like traditional bridges. Because of dental implants’ stability, you regain more of your bite function. With an implant-supported bridge, you can bite into things without worrying about your restoration damaging or falling out.
You get all of the benefits of dental implants, even though you only have two. They provide unmatched stability; you can care for them like your normal teeth. If you’ve experienced bone loss, dental implants help regenerate bone growth. It can eliminate the sinking look of your face that comes with bone loss. They help stabilize your oral health and eliminate the higher risks associated with missing teeth.
The downsides to implant-supported bridges are the price and the time it takes to get your complete restoration. Once we surgically place the implants, you must wait around 3-6 months for them to heal before you get your final restoration. Because of this surgical element, implants are also more costly than other options. You don’t just need the restoration, you also have to pay for the surgery and everything that comes with it.
Dental Bridge FAQs
Dental bridges replace one or multiple consecutive missing teeth. Read the answers to the questions below to learn more.
What should I expect from the dental bridge procedure?
Dental bridges require the support of your surrounding teeth. When it is decided that you will receive a dental bridge, Dr. Khanna will prepare the supportive teeth by shaping them to make space for the dental bridge hardware. Once complete, she will take impressions and send them to our lab to construct your permanent dental bridge.
We will provide you with a temporary bridge while we wait for your permanent restoration. Once your bridge is complete, we will call you back for another appointment to cement the restoration into your smile.
How should I maintain the health of my dental bridge?
Your dental bridge will need some additional oral hygiene care. You should brush in and around your dental bridge to prevent food residue from getting caught in the hardware. Because dental bridges are completely external, unlike dental implants, which are protected by your soft tissues, you should also avoid eating excessively crunchy or chewy foods, as this may damage your dental restoration.
How long will my dental bridge last?
This largely depends on your dietary habits and oral hygiene routine. With the proper care, dental bridges can last up to ten years. However, many patients go anywhere from 5 to 7 years before needing a replacement.
How long does it take to adjust to my dental bridge?
When you get a new dental restoration, it feels different from your normal teeth. You may also have gotten used to how it feels with a lack of teeth in certain areas. It takes around two weeks to completely adjust to them. Once you adjust, the bridge will feel natural in your mouth, and you can use it as you would your natural teeth.
How do I clean my dental bridge?
Just like your natural teeth, you must clean your dental bridge properly. With a removable bridge, you take it out every night so that you can clean it. Use a denture brush or an extremely soft toothbrush, cold water, and non-abrasive toothpaste to clean the bridge. Abrasive toothpaste and hard bristles can scratch and damage your restoration, and hot water can warp it as well.
You can brush a fixed dental bridge like you would your natural teeth. However, use a soft-bristled toothbrush and non-abrasive materials to avoid damaging the restoration. You can also floss as you normally would. However, it can be hard to floss under fixed dental bridges sometimes. We’ll give you special tools and instructions to ensure that you’re cleaning around the dental bridge properly and removing any food debris.
Am I a good candidate for a dental bridge?
Dental bridges replace one or multiple consecutive missing teeth. Many patients are eligible for a traditional dental bridge supported by their natural teeth. An implant-supported denture is a bit trickier. We must ensure you have enough healthy bone structure to support the dental bridge. We’ll perform a full examination to ensure an implant-supported denture is right for you.
Is getting a dental bridge painful?
The process of getting a dental bridge is typically not painful. Your dentist will numb your mouth so you do not feel pain, but you will feel pressure as the dentist works on your teeth during the process.
After the numbness wears off, your mouth will feel sore for a day or two, but you should never feel extreme pain. We suggest you take some pain relievers to help with discomfort. Most people find the dental bridge process easy to handle, and it helps to think about how much better your smile will look.
Can you repair a damaged dental bridge?
Yes, we can repair your dental bridge if it gets damaged. First, Dr. Khanna will examine your bridge to see the extent of the damage. Sometimes, she removes the bridge and repairs it outside the mouth. In other cases, she can fix it while it’s still in place. If the damage is too severe or the bridge is old, Dr. Khanna may need to replace it.