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Dental bridges have long been an excellent answer to tooth loss. A bridge is a custom-designed, permanent dental prosthesis that replaces lost teeth with highly lifelike replicas. The replica teeth are designed to closely mimic the ones that were lost, which effectively closes the gap in your smile, restores its appearance, and rebalances your bite.
Traditionally, crowns bonded to nearby teeth support dental bridges – but for a more modern solution, we recommend implant-supported dental bridges, which helps preserve a maximum amount of your natural tooth structure.
To accommodate a traditional dental bridge, your dentist must prepare adjacent healthy teeth by modifying their structures to support the crowns of the bridge. Dental crowns cover an existing tooth with a tooth-like cap. Although the result is a stable and secure dental bridge, this process requires permanent alterations to healthy teeth. Why mess with a good thing?
Instead, dental implant posts are inserted into your jawbone, providing prosthetic roots that your dentist can affix your modern dental bridge to. The implant-supported dental bridge helps preserve the health, strength, and integrity of your jawbone, and preserves your natural, healthy teeth as much as possible.
In their lifetime, this patient had invested a lot in their mouth to try and save their natural teeth. Unfortunately, they had lost many teeth due to cavities and their remaining teeth were in a questionable state. The patient was to the point they wanted a smile reset. We discussed many options with the patient and they decided on our fixed implant prosthesis option. The patient was adamant about having something natural-looking that they did not have to take out of their mouth to clean. We removed the remaining diseased teeth, placed twelve dental implants and delivered two fixed hybrid implant prostheses.
How long does it take to receive a modern dental bridge?
The short answer is “It depends.” If your teeth were extracted long ago, a dental bridge can be finalized in as little as two weeks. However, if your teeth still require extraction, you may need to wait up to six months afterward to allow your gums to heal and accommodate dental implants. Some patients are eligible for same-day dental implants; ask your dentist for more information.
Bridge vs. implants: What’s the real difference?
If you are missing multiple teeth in a row, a dental bridge is an ideal solution. However, if you need to replace only a few teeth intermittently throughout your mouth, implants are more logical. Your dentist can talk to you about considerations of bridges vs. implants and why one or the other will work best for you.
Are dental bridges removable?
No. Modern dental bridges are permanently adhered, either by attaching via dental crowns to existing teeth, or via dental implants. Permanent bridges are convenient because you never have to worry about them loosening or falling out at inopportune times, as you do with traditional dentures. They are designed to last a lifetime.
If you’ve lost multiple teeth, you can regain your healthy, beautiful smile with a lifelike dental bridge. To find out if a bridge is right for you, schedule a consultation with Cosmetic & Implant Dentistry of Kansas City today by calling (816) 320-6499 or by making an appointment online.
2101 Charlotte Street
Suite 330
Kansas City, MO 64108
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