(972) 698-8000Dental Bridges – Mesquite, TX
Fill Gaps in Your Smile with Lasting Restorations
Losing your teeth may feel like a huge blow to your oral comfort and self-confidence, but you don’t have to live with this kind of damage. If one or a few teeth are missing, crowns and bridges can easily fill the empty spaces. Dr. McKnight and Dr. Olga offers multiple types of dental bridges depending on your needs and preferences, so you can find a tooth replacement that you’re most comfortable with. Give his office a call today to schedule a consultation!
What is a Dental Bridge?
Dental bridges are essentially porcelain crowns fused together to create a larger restoration that anchors to existing teeth. Our dentists uses the best materials to create custom dental bridges to bring back beauty to your smile. Our precision color matching will ensure that your bridge will look natural, meaning you can feel confident that your restoration won’t be noticeable to those around you. And, by filling the gap in your smile, you will prevent neighboring teeth from shifting out of place, causing changes in your bite.
Types of Dental Bridges
It’s always a good idea to complete a consultation with a professional before receiving dental bridges. When you call our practice, our team will get you scheduled for an appointment so you can discuss your needs with him directly. During this visit, he’ll break down the two most common types of dental bridges to consider. Below, you can read about their specific differences and the most ideal candidate for each.
Traditional Dental Bridge
With a traditional dental bridge, a small amount of tooth enamel is removed from existing teeth sitting adjacent to the gap in your smile. This ensures the bridge has a stable foundation once it is attached. While removal of enamel is necessary, you can expect your new bridge to blend in exactly with your neighboring teeth and treatment to take just two appointments to complete.
Implant Bridge
Dental implants are titanium posts that are surgically placed inside of the jaw so they can fuse with the bone tissue. Once fully healed and equipped with a dedicated abutment (or small connector), a bridge specifically designed to attach to dental implants can be placed. While implant bridges are more expensive and time-consuming to complete, they are longer-lasting and do not require removal of existing enamel.
The Benefits of Getting a Dental Bridge
Some of the many benefits you can expect from your dental bridge include the following:
- Keep existing teeth in place (rather than shifting into the open gaps in your mouth)
- Be able to eat and speak clearly and confidently
- Reduce your risk for future dental problems later in life (i.e. tooth decay and gum disease)
- Maintain a beautiful smile you love to show off
Whichever tooth replacement choice you make, our dentist strives for perfection and relies on a team of dental health professionals that includes an expert ceramic technician, so you know that your care is in qualified hands.
Dental Bridge FAQs
It is difficult to complete daily tasks, like eating, speaking clearly, and smiling with confidence, when you’re missing one or more teeth. Fortunately, dental bridges can help to fill the gaps in your smile. However, it pays to be well-informed, so here are some of the most common queries we receive about dental bridges in Mesquite. If you don’t see the information that you’re looking for below, give us a call. We’d be happy to answer your questions and get you started with an initial consultation.
Can You Take a Dental Bridge Out?
No, dental bridges are designed to remain in your mouth for many years after being placed. You shouldn’t be able to take it out on your own without the help of a dental professional. Some healthcare providers call partial dentures “removable bridges,” though this is not entirely accurate. Partials are similar to bridges, but one of the key differences is that partials can be removed by the patient at any time, while bridges cannot.
Is Getting a Dental Bridge Painful?
Before preparing your teeth to support a bridge, our dentists will numb the teeth they’ll be working on. After the preparation and placement of the dental bridge, the underlying teeth will likely feel sensitive for the next few days. Taking over-the-counter pain medications should help. But give us a call if the discomfort worsens. Since bridges keep your remaining teeth from drifting out of place, they can prevent discomfort later on caused by dental drift.
How Many Teeth Can a Dental Bridge Replace?
Depending on the patient’s needs, a dental bridge can replace anywhere from one to four missing teeth in a row. However, in most cases, bridges are used to replace only one or two teeth. The longer the bridge extends, the less stable it may become. It can become risky to have a bridge replace three or more teeth. Implant bridges can lower the risk, as implants are just as strong and secure as natural teeth.
Do Dental Bridges Look Natural?
Metal-free bridges are made from porcelain and other materials that can be color-matched to your other teeth. These materials look very similar to tooth enamel. Once placed, your bridge should blend in with the rest of your smile very well. With bridges, you won’t need to worry about your restoration falling out as you might with a denture.
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