Restoring Smiles in Wichita with Dental Bridges
His office was the first dentist that I went to that actually did the entire crown work right there in the office at the same time you were getting your tooth worked on. They took three pictures and they modeled it and went back to the back room and had a tooth created and came back out and put it in. That’s the first one I've ever been to that did it and I've always felt that their technology was top of the line and I've been around computers and done 3D graphics and things like that for 40 years, so I think I know what I’m talking about.
- John B.
- John B.
A dental bridge is a restoration that corrects the gap in your smile when a tooth is congenitally missing or lost. The Etruscans are believed to have developed the first dental bridges, made of gold to show wealth, about 2,600 years ago. While dental implants are becoming the standard method for tooth replacement, bridges are still appropriate for many patients. The team at EastWichitaDentist.com has restored hundreds of Wichita area smiles with bridges.
What is a Bridge?
The concept for a traditional bridge is straightforward. Teeth on either side of the space are reduced to make room for porcelain crowns. A pontic (artificial tooth) is created to replace the missing one. The crowns and pontic are fused into one unit, a bridge. The crowns are cemented securely onto prepared teeth, holding the pontic in place in the gap.
A cantilever bridge is used when there is an adjacent tooth on only one side of the space. For example, when the missing tooth is the furthest molar in the arch, a cantilever bridge is used.
A Maryland bridge (or resin-bonded bridge) consists of a metal framework with artificial teeth and gums. Wings on either side are bonded to natural teeth to hold the unit in place.
Benefits of a Dental Bridge
Nature designs your teeth to work together. When a tooth is lost, the others shift out of position. That results in stress on the jaw joints and uneven wear. Crooked teeth are more difficult to keep clean, contributing to gum disease and cavities. Gaps spoil the symmetry of your smile, eventually allowing changes in the shape of your face. Missing teeth also impede your ability to chew food into easily digestible pieces and to speak clearly.
By replacing the missing tooth, a dental bridge resolves these issues. Function and natural appearance are restored.
The procedure typically takes just two visits – one to prepare the teeth and send impressions to a dental laboratory where the bridge is created, and a second appointment to have it fitted and placed.
Dental benefits usually cover at least a portion of the cost of a bridge.
With good oral hygiene and just a bit of extra care in chewing hard or sticky foods, you can expect your bridge to last a decade or more.
Bridge considerations
Tooth decay can still attack crowned teeth and anyone can get gum disease, so regular oral hygiene is very important with a bridge. Be sure to brush after eating and floss before bedtime. We'll show you how to use a flosser to keep your bridge clean and gums healthy. Most importantly, maintain regular appointments for professional cleaning and examination. That gives the Doctor an opportunity to monitor your oral health and check your bridge.
Would you like to learn more about dental bridges and other tooth replacement options in Wichita? Call EastWichitaDentist.com today at (316) 686-7395 to schedule a consultation.
Back to Crowns and Bridges Home Page
What is a Bridge?
The concept for a traditional bridge is straightforward. Teeth on either side of the space are reduced to make room for porcelain crowns. A pontic (artificial tooth) is created to replace the missing one. The crowns and pontic are fused into one unit, a bridge. The crowns are cemented securely onto prepared teeth, holding the pontic in place in the gap.
A cantilever bridge is used when there is an adjacent tooth on only one side of the space. For example, when the missing tooth is the furthest molar in the arch, a cantilever bridge is used.
A Maryland bridge (or resin-bonded bridge) consists of a metal framework with artificial teeth and gums. Wings on either side are bonded to natural teeth to hold the unit in place.
Benefits of a Dental Bridge
Nature designs your teeth to work together. When a tooth is lost, the others shift out of position. That results in stress on the jaw joints and uneven wear. Crooked teeth are more difficult to keep clean, contributing to gum disease and cavities. Gaps spoil the symmetry of your smile, eventually allowing changes in the shape of your face. Missing teeth also impede your ability to chew food into easily digestible pieces and to speak clearly.
By replacing the missing tooth, a dental bridge resolves these issues. Function and natural appearance are restored.
The procedure typically takes just two visits – one to prepare the teeth and send impressions to a dental laboratory where the bridge is created, and a second appointment to have it fitted and placed.
Dental benefits usually cover at least a portion of the cost of a bridge.
With good oral hygiene and just a bit of extra care in chewing hard or sticky foods, you can expect your bridge to last a decade or more.
Bridge considerations
Tooth decay can still attack crowned teeth and anyone can get gum disease, so regular oral hygiene is very important with a bridge. Be sure to brush after eating and floss before bedtime. We'll show you how to use a flosser to keep your bridge clean and gums healthy. Most importantly, maintain regular appointments for professional cleaning and examination. That gives the Doctor an opportunity to monitor your oral health and check your bridge.
Would you like to learn more about dental bridges and other tooth replacement options in Wichita? Call EastWichitaDentist.com today at (316) 686-7395 to schedule a consultation.
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Rating: 5
Dr. David Koepsel
Reviewed by Marie K.
Such an amazing dental office! The staff is so nice and welcoming. I felt right at home. They used sedation dentistry on me and it took all the fear from me and it didn't even hurt. I have never met a dental office that is so easy to talk to! Love them