Bridging the gaps in your smile: FAQs about dental bridges
At Wes Park Family Dentistry, there are many options for tooth replacement. In addition to replacing teeth, our team in Perry, Georgia, also helps our patients retain the shape and structure of their faces, ease damaging and painful stress on their “bite,” and otherwise avoid future or further complications to other teeth and tissues in the mouth. The dental bridge represents one of the most “time-tested” ways to protect oral and overall health.
What is a bridge at the dentist’s office?
Bridges replace missing teeth with artificial/prosthetic teeth. True to their name, they “bridge” the gaps left behind after losing or extracting at least one tooth. Your bridge may be made from gold, metal alloys, ceramics like porcelain, or even a blend of materials. Once fabricated, the bridge is secured to the neighboring teeth closest to the gap for support.
How do you design a bridge?
First, crowns are placed on top of those neighboring “anchor” teeth. The additions of these restorations help to build up the teeth that must support the bridge. For each crown to fit properly, the natural tooth must be slightly reduced in size and reshaped. After the crowns and replacement teeth are made, they are fused together to effectively become the “dental bridge.” Once our dentist, Dr. Bryce Westmoreland, secures the crowns/bridge to the anchor teeth, the prosthetic tooth (or teeth) fills the empty space to replace the missing tooth/teeth.
Am I a good candidate for a bridge?
Like all dental treatments, the bridge is not appropriate for every patient/situation. To begin with, patients must have some teeth left that are sufficiently strong and healthy to serve as “anchors” for the pontic or replacement tooth.
How do I care for my bridge?
The success of any bridge depends on its foundation — the surrounding, supportive teeth, gums, and bone. Therefore, it’s very important to keep your mouth healthy and strong. We take a truly relational approach to supporting our patients’ sustained health and will advise on special products and cleaning techniques to remove bacteria, lingering food, and plaque from the hard-to-reach spaces underneath the bridge. That way, the bridge stays healthy and does not also threaten the health of the surrounding anchor teeth.
If you are concerned about the “upkeep” associated with the conventional bridge or are simply not a good candidate for it, never fear! Wes Park Family Dentistry provides a comprehensive array of options to rebuild smiles, including bridges that are retained and stabilized by implants secured in the jawbone and designed to function as tooth roots to maintain the replacement teeth.
Let’s talk! Call our office in Perry, GA, today at (478) 488-3561 to schedule your consultation with Dr. Westmoreland.
Dental Bridges
A bridge is a non-surgical way to replace one or many teeth. A bridge uses the adjacent teeth as anchors to support the missing tooth or teeth. With today’s dental advancements, a bridge can be fabricated in a fairly short period of time, using a metal or nonmetal foundation. Don’t let that missing tooth affect the way you speak, eat, and smile. Bridges yield immediate results that last a lifetime. Ask your dentist what type of bridge may be right for you.
Bryce Westmoreland, DMD
Dr. Bryce Westmoreland earned his BSA in Biological Science with Honors from the University of Georgia and completed his DMD at the Dental College of Georgia, where he also served as Chief Resident during his General Practice Residency. He specializes in implant placement surgeries and restorations and has furthered his expertise through the AAID MAXI course. He and his team are known for their friendly, gentle, and empathetic care, creating a welcoming atmosphere where patients receive the highest quality treatments.
He is a member of the American Dental Association, Georgia Dental Association, American Academy of Implant Dentistry, and a Fellow of the International Congress of Oral Implantologists.