Dental bridges are a form of restorative cosmetic dentistry. The process takes several weeks to complete from start to finish. Here’s a breakdown of the steps you can expect from our team:
Most bridges rest on healthy teeth on either side of the missing tooth. For the dental bridge to stay secure in the mouth, your dentist must first prepare these anchor teeth.
Our team will shape these teeth to fit the bridge, keeping you comfortable with a local anesthetic. We’ll take impressions of the shaped teeth and send them to our dental laboratory, which will then begin constructing the permanent bridge. If the teeth on either side of the missing tooth are not strong enough to be anchor teeth, a dental implant may be needed.
We’ll match the color of your dental bridge to the color of your existing teeth, so the entire bridge disappears seamlessly into your mouth.
The second appointment takes place as soon as your permanent bridge is complete and ready for placement. We’ll use a local anesthetic to keep you comfortable while we place the permanent bridge. To do so, we’ll remove the temporary bridge and clean the underlying teeth. Using dental cement, we’ll fix the permanent dental bridge in place on the anchor teeth.
While the bridge will feel unfamiliar at first, the impacts are immediate. The chewing surface is strong and permanent, and most patients can resume normal life immediately. Once your permanent dental bridge is placed, we’ll follow up with cleaning and care recommendations and send you off to enjoy your new bridge.