Minimally-Invasive Restorations at Chapko & Shah Modern Dentistry
If you’re missing teeth, you understand the effects it can have on your smile’s functionality and your self-esteem. Fortunately, there’s a way to restore your smile that provides sturdy, long lasting, and natural-looking results without the need for an invasive procedure. With dental bridges, the team at Chapko & Shah Modern Dentistry can replace lost teeth, giving you a fully functional and beautiful smile.
What Are Dental Bridges?
Dental bridges are custom restorations made of false teeth called pontics, attached to two dental crowns. These crowns are attached to the teeth on either side of the pontics. Once the crowns are attached to these anchor teeth, they hold the pontics in place, ‘bridging the gap’ left by missing teeth and restoring your smile.
Benefits of Dental Bridges
In addition to improving your oral health and boosting your self-esteem, dental bridges also provide patients with the following benefits:
- Customized to blend with your natural smile
- Prevents your surrounding teeth from shifting out of place
- Minimally-invasive procedure
- Short treatment time
- Greatly reduced chance of post-procedure complications
- Can last anywhere from 10 to 15 years with proper oral hygiene and regular dental exams
- Restores your ability to eat and speak
The Dental Bridge Process
Consultation
Before receiving your custom-made dental bridge, you’ll have a consultation with one of our talented Belvidere dentists. During your consultation, your dentist will examine your oral health, review your medical history, and discuss your oral health goals with you. They’ll also inform you of all of your restorative options, so you can make a decision that’s best suited for you and offer sedation dentistry to fight dental anxiety.
Designing Your Dental Bridges
Once you and your dentist have decided that dental bridges are right for you, we’ll take images and impressions of your teeth. These images and impressions will be sent to a dental laboratory where your custom made bridge will be created. This typically takes around two weeks.
Preparation
In preparation for your bridge, we’ll thoroughly clean your teeth. Then, we’ll apply a local anesthetic to the area around the teeth that will serve as the anchors for your bridge. Your dentist will shave down a small amount of enamel from the anchor teeth. We’ll then provide you with a temporary restoration until your permanent bridge is ready.
Place Your Dental Bridge
Once your dental bridge is ready, you’ll come back to our Belvidere office for placement. Your dentist will check with you to make sure your bridge is to your liking before it’s permanently set into place. Then, your porcelain crowns will be attached to the anchor teeth with a dental grade adhesive. You’ll leave our Belvidere, IL office that day with a fully restored smile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The cost of your dental bridge will vary based on a variety of factors such as the condition of your oral health, how many pontics you’ll need for your bridge, and your insurance coverage. We encourage you to call your insurance provider beforehand and ask them for specifics about your coverage.
We believe cost shouldn’t be a barrier to our patients receiving the dental care they need. That’s why we accept many forms of payment and offer third-party financing through CareCredit and Wells Fargo.
No, dental bridges aren’t removable as they’re securely adhered in place. Since your bridges are cemented in place, you won’t have to deal with removing them for maintenance and cleaning. They’ll also allow you to eat, speak, and smile without worrying about them slipping or sliding out of place.
While dental bridges won’t last a lifetime, they can last up to 15 years. By maintaining a proper oral hygiene routine and visiting our Belvidere office once every six months for checkups, your restoration can stay in pristine condition. Fortunately, dental bridges are easy to replace when the time comes.
If proper oral hygiene isn’t practiced regularly or you don’t attend routine dental exams, infection may set in under the bridge. For these reasons, it’s important not to neglect your oral health after your bridge is placed.
