Dental Bridges by Your Redmond, WA Dentist
Dentists have been making bridges to replace missing teeth for a very long time. It is what we call fixed; meaning it does not come in and out. It involves preparing the teeth on either side of a missing tooth for a crown. The dental laboratory then makes a restoration that looks like several crowns connected to each other in a row.
Process
Just like a crown, this procedure requires two appointments. The first one involves shaping the adjacent teeth and taking an impression. Two weeks later, the bridge comes back from the lab. Once the fit has been verified, the bridge is cemented on top of the two side teeth with the “fake” tooth attached in between them. During the lab time, a temporary restoration is cemented in the area.
Benefits of Dental Bridges
Advantages of bridges include:
- They look like natural teeth,
- They do not require the healing time like implants,
- They do not come in and out like dentures,
- If the adjacent teeth are broken down or have large fillings, the bridge can strengthen those teeth,
- Bridges are less expensive than implants.