Dental Bridges Service in Salina, KS
Bridges can span a gap left by one or more missing teeth. Bridges can be supported by clasps or crowns attached to adjacent teeth, or by dental implants to preserve bone structure and provide a more permanent solution.
What is a Dental Bridge?
Dental bridges are restorations designed to span the gap left by a missing tooth or teeth. Your mouth has two arches of teeth. When an arch is compromised by tooth loss, adjacent teeth can become loose and shift into the open spaces.
A dental bridge restores integrity, allows normal chewing and speech and is almost impossible to tell apart from the remaining original teeth. Bridges are commonly crafted from precious or non-precious metal alloys, porcelain, or a combination of porcelain bonded to metal alloy.
The Dental Bridge Procedure
A dental bridge normally takes two visits to complete. On the first visit, a mold is taken of the surrounding teeth and the adjacent, or abutment, teeth are prepared for the attachments by removing a tiny piece of enamel and dentin.
The impression is sent to the lab, and the bridge is custom fabricated. On the second visit, the bridge is installed either with cement or clasps to attach it to the abutment teeth. Each visit typically takes between 60 and 90 minutes.
How Long Does a Bridge Last?
Your bridge restoration can last between 10 and 15 years. Dental bridges that are supported by dental implants can last much longer, and prevent bone from being lost in the jawbone underneath the site of the lost tooth or teeth.
Caring for your Dental Bridge
Your dental bridge should be treated just like the rest of your teeth – brush and floss (carefully) around it, make and keep regular dental appointments, and let your dentist know if you experience any pain or rubbing.
For more information about our practice or to request an office tour, contact our Salina, KS, dental office at 785-825-7197 or book a consult or an appointment online.