Restore Your Smile With Dental Bridges
Missing teeth can cause inconveniences in your lifestyle such as impacting your speaking and eating abilities along with contributing to low self-esteem. But you don’t have to worry about your smile insecurities any longer thanks to custom dental bridges at Maniscalco Cosmetic and General Dentistry.
This restorative solution can help complete your smile once again. Learn more about dental bridges and their benefits to see if it’s the right solution for you.
What Is a Dental Bridge?
A dental bridge is a customized restoration that’s designed to close the gap between one or more missing teeth. The healthy teeth on either side are responsible for anchoring the false tooth, called a pontic. Pontics are made out of porcelain to seamlessly blend with your natural teeth for a beautiful smile.
The Benefits of Dental Bridges
There are many benefits to receiving dental bridges, such as:
- Natural-looking restoration
- Restores your speaking and eating abilities
- Prevents teeth from shifting out of their proper place
- Evenly distributes your bite pressure
- Helps maintain facial shape
The Dental Bridge Process
The design of the bridge will depend on how many of your natural teeth are remaining and how strong those teeth are. During your first visit, Dr. Maniscalco will prep the teeth surrounding the gap which will be used to anchor the bridge in place. Dr. Maniscalco will gently remove some enamel from the anchor teeth and then take an impression of your mouth so that the crowns, pontic, and bridge can all be customized in a lab. In the meantime, Dr. Maniscalco will fit you with a temporary bridge.
Once your customized bridge restoration is delivered to our Birmingham office, we’ll call you in for an appointment to have it placed. Dr. Maniscalco will remove the temporary restoration and place the new bridge. He’ll make any adjustments necessary to ensure a perfect fit before it’s cemented into place. Once it’s secured, you’ll leave our office with a brand new smile.
Caring for Dental Bridges
Caring for your dental bridges with proper oral hygiene can help them last between 10 to 15 years, sometimes longer. Dr. Maniscalco recommends following these instructions to ensure your restorations longevity:
- Brush your teeth with fluoride toothpaste and a soft-bristled toothbrush
- Floss daily
- Avoid hard, sticky, hot, and crunchy foods
- Visit Dr. Maniscalco for biannual checkups and professional dental cleanings
Although your dental bridge won’t decay, it’s still important to maintain a good regimen of oral hygiene. This allows for a long-lasting restoration and complete smile.
Frequently Asked Questions
A bridge can replace four or more teeth as long as they’re healthy and strong enough to support the custom restoration. If there’s not enough support, we’ll discuss our other restorative treatment options with you.
If you’re interested in learning more about how dental bridges can benefit you, schedule a consultation with Dr. Maniscalco by calling (205) 967-9100. During the consultation, he’ll review your oral health and find the perfect solution for your dental needs.
No, it’s rare for a dental bridge to fall out as they’re well-supported due to its rigid structures. It can become loose over time but it’s an easy fix as Dr. Maniscalco can tighten the bridge during a checkup.
If it does fall out, contact our Birmingham office immediately at (205) 967-9100 to see Dr. Maniscalco as soon as possible. In the meantime, don’t try to fix it yourself as it can damage the restoration.