Is it Possible to Replace Several Teeth with a Dental Bridge?

A tooth bridge is a minimally invasive tooth restoration treatment option. It replaces lost teeth by linking an artificial tooth to the surrounding tooth. Since it is permanently attached to the teeth, a bridge does not slip or come through from the mouth.

The procedure usually needs two dental visits, which spread over a few weeks. A dental bridge also has minimal upfront cost as compared to dental implants. It allows patients to smile, eat, and speak comfortably. Read below to find out whether you can replace several teeth with a bridge.

How Does the Treatment Process Work?

Let’s check out how the fixed dental bridge procedure works:

Assessment

Dental bridge treatment is customizable according to the oral health and needs of the patient. It starts when the dentist evaluates the need for restorative dental treatment. He/she takes X-rays of the jaw. After that, the expert discusses the design and type of dental bridge.

If required, the dentist by putting crowns on the neighboring teeth. Then, he/she places a dental bridge to the abutment (dental implants or adjacent teeth). The dental professional cements the dental fixture onto the teeth on either side of the lost tooth.

Teeth Preparation and Placement of Temporary Bridge

The expert then ensures that the anchoring teeth are in proper shape and healthy. It helps the bridges get fixed and do not come out loose. Then, the dental expert connects the fixture to the teeth on each side of the vacant area.

Dental bridges in Hannon, Hamilton stay in their position with bonding or cement. It helps in bridging the gaps between teeth effectively. After that, the dental professional eliminates a thin layer of enamel from the abutments so that the dental crown fits over them.

For this, the dentist uses a local anesthetic. The dental prosthetic must match in the shade close to the nearby natural teeth. For this, the dentist takes the sample color.

The expert takes teeth impressions. He/she gives the impressions and the patient specifications to a dental laboratory for bridge manufacturing. This dental bridge is temporary. It is manufactured using the filling material and helps protect the field abutment teeth from damage.

Placement of Permanent Bridge

During the second appointment, the dentist removes the temporary bridge. Once again, local anesthesia is applied. The dentist cleans the underline teeth if required. Now, he/she places a permanent bridge.

Follow-Up

In the next step, the dentist at Rymal Family Dental gives aftercare tips to the patient. Follow-up is also essential because it ensures what to expect and how to care for your new bridge. The dentist also tells you when to get dental advice. A bridge stays more than ten years with recommended maintenance.

How Many Teeth Does a Bridge Replace?

A bridge can replace one missing tooth. However, the dentists also use it for restoring 2, 3, and 4 or more teeth. A dental bridge replaces more than 4 teeth in some rare cases. Usually, how many teeth a dental bridge replaces depends upon many factors. A bridge may not be stable if it replaces more than two teeth.

Also, if you have four missing teeth continuously in a series, you would need a large bridge. It means less stability. Besides this, there need to be enough teeth in your mouth to link to crowns. The anchoring teeth also need to be healthy and strong.

If it is not, the bridge will become loose after some time. It signifies that you can replace multiple missing teeth with a dental bridge. But this may be risky. Furthermore, the patient must have good health so that the dental bridge functions properly.

Bridges do not replace multiple teeth simultaneously. It’s because it makes the bridge less stable. Loss of stability also means it will not work efficiently. The more missing teeth you have, the more dental crowns you will require to support the dental bridge.

Dental professionals at our dental clinic near you use implants, which offer extra support to the bridges used for replacing large numbers of teeth. It is also helpful for patients that do not have strong natural teeth to support the bridge. These free-standing artificial teeth also fill spaces that are not adjoining to the bridged area.