Dental Bridges – Columbia, MD
A Lifelike Way to Close the Space In Your Smile
Tooth loss can potentially detract from your daily quality of life as once-basic tasks, such as eating, speaking, and smiling confidently, suddenly become much more challenging. This can be especially true if you’ve lost a few teeth in a row and have a wider gap to contend with.
Fortunately, our dedicated team can provide a lifelike way to close the space in your smile with a custom-fitted dental bridge. Continue reading to learn more about these popular restorations, and contact our Columbia office for additional information!
Why Choose Dental Designs of Maryland- Columbia for Dental Bridges?
- Resilient, Tooth-Colored Materials
- Digital Impressions for Enhanced Comfort & Accuracy
- Customized to Resemble Your Natural Teeth
What is a Dental Bridge?
Dental bridges are oral appliances made from durable ceramic that can be customized to match the size, color, and shape of your natural enamel. They contain the required number of pontics, or artificial teeth, between a dental crown on each end.
The latter are cemented over healthy abutment teeth or specially placed dental implants on either side of the gap in your grin to close it. These versatile restorations can be used to replace a single tooth or several that went missing in a row.
Types of Dental Bridges
Whether you’ve lost one tooth or a few have fallen out consecutively in your arch, our team can provide a customized bridge to restore your smile’s appearance and function. But before proceeding, we must examine your teeth and gums, address any pre-existing issues that could negatively affect the outcome, and ensure that you’re a good candidate for this treatment.
Then, based on our findings, we might recommend one of the following options:
Traditional Dental Bridge
This is the standard type of dental bridge and requires enough healthy enamel on the natural teeth positioned at both sides of the gap in your grin. Enamel that has suffered more severe damage or decay may not be strong enough to support one of these prosthetics.
Implant Bridge
Unlike the traditional type, these restorations involve surgically placing two support rods into your jaw, which eventually fuse with the bone to become a more permanent part of your mouth. These are used to support your customized dental bridge and may be recommended when there’s not enough healthy enamel remaining on your teeth.
The Benefits of Getting a Dental Bridge
There are several reasons to consider getting a dental bridge with our team in Columbia, including:
- In-house Dental Implants. Our providers have extensive training to place dental implants and provide customized restorations in the office for your convenience.
- Digital Impressions. Instead of relying on manual impressions, which involve biting into a tray of putty, we utilize state-of-the-art digital impressions for a more comfortable and accurate outcome.
- Tooth-colored Materials. We offer prosthetics made from resilient ceramic that can be made to match your natural enamel for beautiful, lifelike results.
- Long Lasting Solution. These replacement teeth often last 5 to 15+ years when cared for correctly.
- Versatile Treatment. Dental bridges can be used to replace one or several missing teeth in a row and simultaneously improve your smile’s appearance and functionality.
Dental Bridges FAQs
Can I Remove a Dental Bridge on My Own?
No. A true dental bridge is designed to remain fixed in position within the mouth at all times, so it should be impossible for you to remove your appliance without the help of a qualified oral health professional like Dr. Torres, Santos, Metzger, or Weng. While you may have heard of a “removable bridge,” this is actually a misnomer sometimes used for partial dentures that are designed to be removed by the patient for hygiene purposes. If you find that your dental bridge is not stable in its position or you are able to remove it, please promptly contact our office so we can address the problem.
How Long Should a Dental Bridge Last?
A dental bridge can last between five and fifteen years, and the actual lifespan of your appliance may be determined in part by the material it is made from and where it is located in the mouth. Metal bridges may last slightly longer than metal-free ones, but the difference is often negligible. Appliances placed toward the back of the mouth may not last as long as those near the front since they endure more pressure during the chewing process. Since implant bridges are securely anchored in the mouth with titanium posts surgically placed in the jawbone, they may last much longer than traditional appliances. The best ways to make sure your bridge lasts for as long as possible are to:
- Practice excellent oral hygiene by brushing, flossing, and rinsing with antibacterial mouthwash every day.
- Visiting our office in Columbia twice a year for routine checkups.
- Limiting your intake of sugary and acidic foods.
- Avoiding tobacco use and excessive alcohol consumption.
- Refraining from bad habits like grinding, clenching, chewing on wood, metal, plastic, ice, and fingernails, and using your teeth to open bottles and packages.
How Many Teeth Can a Dental Bridge Replace?
Depending on how the dental bridge is constructed, it may be able to replace anywhere from one to four missing teeth in a row. Traditional bridges are typically used to replace only one or two teeth since bridges longer than that can be less stable, but implant bridges may be able to replace as many as four teeth since they are securely anchored in the jawbone. Our dentist in Columbia will be happy to determine the best appliance for you during your consultation at our office.