Dental Bridges – Westport, CT
Restoring Function for Better Oral Health
An incomplete smile often leads to more than a decline in self-esteem. It also takes a toll on your ability to eat certain foods, speak coherently, and enjoy being around others. This is why our team at Dental Center of Westport is here to provide natural-looking dental bridges in Westport . As custom-made prosthetics that fill in the gaps left behind by missing teeth, it is a tried-and-true solution that is proven safe and effective. If you are curious about receiving a dental bridge, call our office to schedule an appointment.
What is a Dental Bridge?
Just as the Saugatuck River Bridge spans the river in Westport, so does a bridge in your mouth span the gap in your smile. A bridge is comprised of one or more false teeth that are bonded to the crowns Dr. Kogan or Dr. Romano attach to the abutment teeth on either side of your missing teeth. The crowns and bridge arrive from our dental lab in one piece. Once cemented into place, this prosthetic is not removable. You will care for your crown and bridge just as you do your other teeth—with daily brushing and flossing.
Types of Dental Bridges
When meeting with your dentist to discuss your options for tooth replacement, you will discover there are two options when it comes to dental bridges – a traditional fixed bridge or an implant bridge.
Traditional Dental Bridge
Should you choose a traditional dental bridge, you will find that it requires the altering of natural, healthy abutment teeth on either side of the gap. This is necessary to ensure that the bridge is secured in place. Using two dental crowns that are connected by a row of free-standing artificial teeth, the crowns fit over the healthy teeth so that the prosthetic is properly anchored.
Implant Bridge
While a traditional fixed bridge is less invasive, one that is secured using dental implants is likely to last longer. With an implant bridge, you can leave your healthy teeth alone because the implants fit into the jawbone. Placed within the exterior sockets, the middle portion of the bridge rests on top of your gums to complete your fully restored and longer-lasting smile.
What Are the Benefits of Getting a Dental Bridge?
Dental bridges make it possible for patients like yourself to:
- Eat a larger variety of foods, many of which are more nutritionally beneficial to your overall health
- Avoid the potential for dental drift, which often requires orthodontic treatment to fix a misaligned bite in the future
- Enjoy greater confidence and a more youthful appearance
- Enjoy a longer-lasting set of teeth (up to 30+ years with an implant bridge)
- Embrace better oral health
Dental Bridge FAQs
Is it possible to take a dental bridge out of your mouth?
Dental bridges in Westport are designed to be permanently affixed to your existing, natural teeth. Because of this, they are not removable. Even if you have your dental bridge anchored to implants, you won’t be able to remove your bridge from your mouth. This means that you’ll need to be diligent about cleaning underneath your restoration and thoroughly around it, because you won’t be able to soak it.
Does getting a dental bridge hurt?
Our team at Dental Care of Westport will make sure that your procedure is as comfortable as possible. While preparing your natural teeth for the restoration, we’ll administer local anesthesia as necessary to numb the area that we’ll be working on so you don’t feel any discomfort. However, you may feel some sensitivity with your temporary on and even a couple of weeks after your permanent bridge is affixed within your mouth. If the pain doesn’t seem to go away or is getting worse, please call our team.
How many teeth can a dental bridge replace?
Dental bridges can be custom crafted to replace anywhere from one to four missing teeth in a row. Typically, the more teeth being replaced, the less stable your dental bridge is, which is why we prefer only using these to replace around two consecutive missing teeth. In cases where you need to restore more teeth, we may also recommend dental implants, which offer a more stable, stronger result.
Is it possible to whiten an old dental bridge?
Dental bridges are crafted from natural-looking, non-porous materials like ceramic and porcelain. These aren’t able to be whitened like your natural teeth are, so if you notice your restoration becoming discolored over time, you can’t receive teeth whitening treatment to fix it. However, our team can whiten your natural teeth and replace your dental bridge to match, brightening your overall smile and boosting your confidence.
Will my dental bridge feel natural?
It will take some time to get used to the way your dental bridge feels in your mouth at first. However, after a couple of weeks, it should feel like a completely natural extension of your smile. Because bridges are custom crafted to seamlessly integrate with your existing teeth, patients are typically able to adjust to them pretty quickly! If you experience any difficulties during this transition period, don’t hesitate to give our team a call.