A dental bridge is used to replace a single tooth or multiple teeth in the mouth. It is considered a “permanent” restoration, meaning it does not come in and out of the mouth. A bridge is attached with permanent cement and restores your smile and bite to optimal function.
A bridge requires crowns to be placed on both sides of the missing tooth/teeth. The fake teeth that a bridge replaces are attached to these crowns and allow for replacement of the missing space.
Two types of dental bridge material are commonly used today. Zirconia bridges are made of the strongest type of porcelain and tooth colored in appearance. These are the mostly commonly used bridges due to strength and aesthetics. A second type of bridge that is used is called a porcelain fused to metal (PFM) bridge, where there is a combination of tooth-colored porcelain and base metal underneath. Dr. Rizner and her team will discuss which option is best your specific needs.
Bridges at Dentistry on Fruitville
When you receive a dental bridge at our Sarasota dental office, Dr. Rizner will prepare the teeth adjacent to the missing space by removing a small portion of the tooth material. This will allow for sufficient space for the porcelain crowns to be made, which will be splinted to the fake teeth (called pontics).
At Dentistry on Fruitville, we strive to make your visit as enjoyable as possible. We aim to provide maximum aesthetics so that our crown and bridgework look as natural as possible. For cases that require optimal aesthetics, such as missing front teeth, we will order custom lab-made temporaries in order to provide you with the best aesthetics possible while you wait for the permanent bridgework to come back from the lab. This will also allow you to test drive the temporaries to make sure you approve of the fit, shade, and shape of the restorations.
Caring for Your Bridge at Home
You can brush your bridge just as you would any other teeth in the mouth. When it comes to flossing, there are special kinds of floss and floss threaders available to care for the teeth attached to the bridge. A waterpik also works great to remove any debris that get caught under the bridge.
