What is a bridge?
A dental bridge are connected crowns, meaning three, four, or five teeth that are connected together to help replace missing teeth. That is what bridges are typically used for.
What is the difference between a dental bridge and a denture?
A bridge sits on your own teeth and it's something that is fixed, meaning something that you don't take out every day. It helps to replace some missing teeth. It can't replace all of them, but it can replace some. But it's something that's glued to your own teeth, so it's not something you have to take out every day. A denture can replace multiple teeth. It can replace one or three, or six, or 12. Dentures can be as big as they're needed to be. But it is something that is removable, something you have to take out every day in order to wash it and clean it and then put it back in your mouth.
What are the pros and cons of dental bridges?
Well, you need to have some teeth. So we're only talking about options where you have some teeth and you're missing some. If you're missing all the teeth, bridges are not an option for you. But if you have a tooth in front, you have a tooth behind, and you're missing one in between, that's a perfect case for a bridge. The beauty of it is it's done pretty quickly. You come in, we prep the teeth, you come back two weeks later, you get your bridge. One, two, and done. The problem with a bridge is that we have to prep the tooth in front and the tooth behind, meaning we have to cut the tooth in front of the gap and the tooth behind the gap. And if the teeth are healthy, then I feel bad. I feel bad cutting healthy teeth. So sometimes there's no other option and we have to do it. Another con is if there's a problem down the line, you develop a cavity, something breaks, something happens, now all the connected teeth are involved because now something's broken and everything is all one piece. So we have to deal with it as a giant chunk as opposed to dealing with one individual tooth. So, you know, you save some time, you may, I don't know if you're really even going to save all that much money, but you have to take really good care of it in order to make sure you don't have problems down the line.
What are the alternatives to dental bridges?
You have two other options. So dental bridges are an option considered when we're missing a tooth or two or just a couple here and there. Another option to replace them is with something removable, like a little denture that will replace a tooth here or there. But again, it's something you have to take in and out every single day. Option number two to replace missing teeth is an implant. The beauty of an implant is we're not dealing with the tooth in front or the tooth behind. We're only working in this specific area. But implants require bone. You need to have the room, you need to be medically healthy in order to tolerate implants. So there are other conditions that all kind of interconnect with one another. But as far as replacement of missing teeth, bridges, dentures, implants. Those are your three options.
What is a cantilever dental bridge?
Well, let's start with what a typical bridge is. Typical bridges, let's picture the Brooklyn Bridge. You have a post in Brooklyn, you have a post in Manhattan, you have a span across. So you have a tooth behind, you have a tooth in front, you have a missing span that has to get covered with a bridge. The cantilever bridge works a little bit differently. You have a tooth, you have teeth in front and a missing space behind. So you need to connect at least two teeth together and then hang a floating tooth behind it or in front of it, depending on the situation. So it's a way of replacing natural teeth without necessarily cutting the tooth in front and behind. Maybe you don't have it. Maybe it's aesthetically not an option. So there are different ways as to why this is done, but this is another option.
What are the benefits of dental bridges?
Because we're connecting teeth together, sometimes if you have teeth that are a little wiggly because you have some bone loss and gum disease, it's a great way to try and stabilize the teeth by connecting them together. It is another way of replacing missing teeth and it can be done pretty quickly. So if you're missing a tooth, you prep the teeth for a bridge. Two weeks later, you get your teeth nice and quick and done. And it's a non-removable way of replacing missing teeth. So you don't have to take this in and out every day. It's done in a couple of weeks and it looks and functions just like natural teeth.
Is dental bridge work painful?
It absolutely should not be. When you come in, we will numb you up to make sure that you are comfortable. If we don't numb you, you might be a little uncomfortable. So we're definitely going to numb you. There should be absolutely no pain while you're in the chair. When you go home and the numbness wears off, there may be some soreness. You may be aware that something's been done. It should not be anything crazy, nothing that you can't tolerate. If you need to take a motion, you take a motion. But that's really all you need.
How long does a dental bridge last?
Well, with proper care, many, many, many years. It should be five years minimum. I've seen bridges last 20 and 30 years with proper care. Proper care here is key. You have to clean them. You have to, have to, have to clean them. If you don't clean them, they're not going to last. With proper care, many, many years.
How should you care for your dental bridge?
Well, now you're going to have at least two connected teeth together, which means you're not going to be able to floss in between them. So hygiene here is absolutely critical for long-term maintenance and care of your bridges. You need a great toothbrush. You need to be able to clean in between the teeth. I just said that these teeth are going to be connected. You can't floss there. So you need to invest in a water flosser or a pick or something to get in underneath the bridge so you can clean underneath the bridge. But a great toothbrush is going to make a huge difference, and some kind of water flosser is highly, highly recommended. You do both of those things, you come in for your regular visits twice a year, you should get many, many years out of your dental bridge.