Restore Your Smile With Dental Bridges in Prince George
A missing tooth can lead to severe issues and hinder your ability to properly chew food and speak, making you feel self-conscious and affecting your overall well-being. Moreover, if left untreated, a gap due to a missing tooth can affect the alignment of all the other teeth on your jaw, making them loose over time. Dr. Richard Wilczek Inc. in Prince George provides restorative dental treatments like dental bridges to replace missing teeth. Contact our team of caring and experienced dentists to book a consultation!
What Are Dental Bridges?
Dental bridges fill up gaps between teeth by substituting missing teeth with prosthetic teeth mounted on two crowns fastened to the teeth on either side of the gap. The two supporting teeth are referred to as abutment teeth, and the false tooth is called a pontic. They can be made of metal alloys, gold, porcelain or a combination of these materials custom-fit to the shape of your jaw and teeth. They help to stabilize the teeth in the mount and reduce the chance of teeth shifting after tooth loss.
Dental bridges can be fixed or removable. Fixed dental bridges are bonded into place and can only be removed after a visit to your dentist, and removable bridges can be taken out and cleaned if needed.
You can count on us for all the information you need to help you care for your teeth, best practices and answers to some common questions about dental care and treatments. Of course, you are always welcome to contact us to speak with our dentists in Prince George. We will be happy to help you!
Why You May Need a Dental Bridge
A missing tooth or tooth loss is a serious matter and can have long-lasting adverse effects on your oral and your general health. If left untreated, a missing tooth can lead to the following:
Higher stress and pressure on your remaining teeth and jaw
It can lead to your jaw and bone shrinking, which can change the shape of your face
Discomfort chewing food and talking
Higher risk of tooth decay
Reach out to us to see how an experienced team like ours can help you optimize your dental health with safe and durable dental bridges in Prince George!
Benefits of Dental Bridges
If a missing tooth has created gaps, we encourage you to consider the many benefits of dental bridges. They can help:
Improve and restore a radiant and natural-looking smile
Restore the ability to speak, chew and bite properly
Maintain and support the correct shape of your face
Maintain the proper alignment of your bite
Encourage better oral health and overall quality of life
Read our blog for more helpful information on dental bridges and other solutions to help you improve your oral health.
Types of Dental Bridges
We understand that every patient's issues and conditions are unique, which is why our dental bridges are customized to fit your jaw and treat your specific concern. Our skilled dentists will design and implement a suitable treatment plan tailor-made for your needs.
The common types of dental bridges include:
Traditional bridges create a crown for the tooth or implant on either side of the missing tooth, with a false tooth or pontic in between. These are the most common type of bridges and are made of either porcelain fused to metal or ceramics.
Cantilever bridges can be considered when adjacent teeth are on only one side of the missing tooth. Dentists don't recommend its use in the back of the mouth, as it can put a lot of pressure on surrounding teeth and damage them.
Implant-supported bridges aren't held by crowns but are instead supported by dental implants. Usually, one implant is placed for every missing tooth that holds the bridge in place, making them secure and comfortable, just like your natural teeth.
Get in touch with us and book a consultation with our dentists. We would be happy to help you find the right dental bridge!
Dental Bridges Procedure
A dental bridge procedure usually takes multiple visits with your dentists. During your first visit, your dentist will prepare the abutment teeth for the crowns, which involve removing the enamel and filing the teeth to allow the crown to be placed over the tooth. After that, we will make impressions of the surrounding teeth and create the bridge, crowns, and pontics customized to your mould. We will then place a temporary bridge to protect your teeth while the crowns and pontic are being made. When you return for your second sitting, the crowns, bridge and pontic are put into place and adjusted if necessary. After the prosthetic is properly fixed in its place, the bridge will be cemented into place.
Anyone with one or more missing teeth with good overall dental hygiene would be an ideal candidate for a dental bridge. Dental bridges require special attention to hygiene at home, which includes carefully brushing, cleaning and flossing under the bridge. We would recommend regular visits with your dentists and professional hygiene appointments to help monitor the condition and function of your dental bridges. Call us today for a consultation.
Our Services
Dr. Richard Wilczek Inc. in Prince George offers professional dental care to help you and your family maintain and restore healthy teeth and gums. Besides long-lasting and reliable dental bridges in Prince George, we offer general dentistry, as well as a range of comprehensive treatment options that include the following:
Please speak with our dentist to discuss all your concerns.
