Closing Gaps From 1 to 3 Missing Teeth
A dental bridge improves your smile and oral health by filling in empty spaces with a prosthetic tooth anchored by dental implants, your own teeth, or both. Often called a ‘fixed partial denture,’ bridges are securely attached to your teeth and don’t require removal for sleeping or cleaning. Filling in these gaps matters for more than just how you look; it’s crucial for your ongoing dental health. Missing teeth can complicate speaking or eating, and gaps allow the remaining teeth to move.
Lasting Advantages of Dental Bridges
The absence of a tooth or teeth can significantly impact our self-esteem and comfort. Opting for a dental bridge not only restores the appearance and functionality of your smile but also provides lasting benefits for the surrounding teeth and overall oral bone health. Here are the key benefits of choosing a dental bridge:
Your Smile
These benefits are immediately noticeable because they impact us right now. Regain a natural feeling and appearance to your teeth. Smile and eat confidently again, reclaiming the smile you cherish. The absence of teeth can lead to discomfort, and sometimes gaps can make speaking or eating challenging or painful. Dental bridges offer a durable remedy to the problems caused by missing teeth, providing relief for over a decade with appropriate maintenance.
Dental Wellness
Your teeth work together to maintain your facial shape and structure. When you have missing teeth, it can change the way your teeth fit together and create room for the remaining teeth to move. Using a dental bridge helps keep your teeth in place, lowering the chances of tooth decay, gum disease, jaw discomfort, and TMJ issues that can occur when teeth start to shift out of position.
Bone Integrity
Dental Bridge Costs in Oakville
The price of a dental bridge can differ greatly from one person to another. Under a standard insurance policy, the cost of a dental bridge typically ranges from $800 to over $1200. For those without insurance, the starting cost for a bridge is generally around $3000.
Several factors contribute to the final cost of a dental bridge, including:
- The kind of bridge and the materials it’s made from.
- How many teeth need to be replaced.
- The procedure’s location and its complexity.
- The health of the teeth next to the missing ones.
- The specific supplies and equipment your treatment requires.
It’s essential to remember that dental offices can’t give you a precise cost estimate over the phone because everyone’s dental needs are different. Your best course of action is to consult with a dentist for an oral examination to explore all your options and get an accurate cost estimate. If you’re insured, we can help you provide a preliminary quote for you to discuss with your insurance provider, helping you understand your expected out-of-pocket expenses before making any decisions.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Dental bridges come in various forms, including permanent and semi-permanent options. Often, bridges are described as fixed partial dentures because they can be semi-permanent and are anchored to existing teeth or implants. To differentiate a bridge from a denture, it’s helpful to note that bridges consist solely of the replacement teeth, while dentures include replacement teeth and the pink-colored base that mimics gum tissue.
A dental cantilever bridge is a specific kind of bridge that’s applied when there are no neighbouring teeth on both sides of the gap created by missing teeth. This approach has become less common and is typically not suggested for missing teeth located at the back of the mouth, as it can put excessive pressure on the adjacent teeth, risking damage. For gaps in the back of the mouth, other treatment options are recommended.
Typically, the entire process for getting a dental bridge is completed over two visits, with each session lasting under an hour.
Dental bridges are crafted from various materials, including gold alloys, non-precious alloys, porcelain, or a mix of these materials. In our practice, we mainly utilise porcelain to create dental bridges.
Although the terms “dental bridge” and “crown” are often used as if they’re the same, they serve distinct purposes. A dental crown is a prosthetic cover fitted over a damaged, cracked, or deteriorated tooth, helping to reinforce the tooth and guard against decay. On the other hand, dental bridges are specifically created to fill the space left by one or more missing teeth.
No, a single crown alone cannot serve as a replacement for a missing tooth. A crown is essentially a cap designed to mimic the appearance and function of a tooth, but it requires support from either a pre-shaped existing tooth, a partial tooth with a post, or a dental implant to be securely placed above and within the gum line.
Yes, dental bridges can be made from zirconia. For further details and to explore the available material options best suited to your particular needs, please feel free to reach out to us. We’re here to provide recommendations and answer any questions you may have.