Dental Bridges – Park Slope, NY
Natural-Looking Smile Repair
Millions of Americans are currently suffering through the problem of tooth loss. Not only do missing teeth destroy a smile, but they can potentially harm your health, too. Having one or more missing teeth can compromise your ability to enjoy a nutritious diet, including fresh fruits and vegetables. Missing teeth can also cause your remaining teeth to shift, resulting in a misaligned bite and temporomandibular joint disorder, or TMJ. Luckily, Dr. Sapienza has the perfect treatment – dental bridges in Park Slope. To learn more about how bridges can restore your smile and oral health, keep reading below, or give us a call.
What Is a Dental Bridge?
A dental bridge is a row of prosthetic (false) teeth attached to two abutment crowns, which are cemented to the two teeth on either side of the gap in your smile. Made of dental porcelain, or a strong nonmetal material like zirconia, modern dental bridges are stronger and more lifelike than ever.
Am I a Candidate for a Dental Bridge?
In order for you to truly benefit from bridgework, you must be missing one or more teeth consecutively. In addition, the teeth on either end of your gap should be free of decay, and your gums should be free from gum disease. If either of these issues are present, we must treat them before your bridge can be placed.
The Dental Bridge Procedure
First, we will prepare the teeth that will house the crowns by either building them up or removing a small portion of enamel. Then, we’ll take an impression of your teeth to form a model that our dental lab will use to create your bridge. While your permanent bridge is being fabricated, you’ll wear a temporary that we can make right here at The Dental Spa of New York. When your permanent prosthesis is ready, you’ll return to our office to have the bridge fitted and bonded into place.
Benefits of Dental Bridges
Dental bridges offer a variety of advantages over simply suffering through having missing teeth, such as:
- Allowing you to smile confidently once again
- Restoring your ability to properly chew
- Improving your speech and pronunciation
- Maintaining the shape of your face
- Evenly distributing the force of your bite
- Preventing your remaining teeth from shifting out of their proper position
If you have missing teeth, let Dr. Sapienza, his trusted lab, and the gentle team at The Dental Spa of New York restore your smile with lifelike bridgework.
Dental Bridges FAQs
Can You Take a Dental Bridge Out?
Dental bridges are designed to remain in your mouth for many years after being placed. This is why they are designed to only be removed by a dental procedure. You may hear some healthcare providers call a partial denture a “removable bridge,” but this isn’t completely accurate. Partials are similar to dental bridges, but one of the key differences is that partials can be removed by the patient while dental bridges are fixed securely in the mouth.
Is Getting a Dental Bridge Painful?
Many patients are hesitant to commit to dental treatment because they are worried that their procedure will be painful. Fortunately, we will do everything we can to help you feel as comfortable as possible in the dental chair. Before beginning your procedure, the area will be numbed with a local anesthetic, so you shouldn’t be able to feel a thing. You may experience some soreness or sensitivity for a few days following your procedure, but this can be managed with over-the-counter pain relievers. Since bridges keep your teeth from drifting out of place, they can prevent discomfort related to dental drift in the future.
How Many Teeth Can a Dental Bridge Replace?
Depending on your needs, dental bridges can replace anywhere from one to four consecutive teeth. However, in the majority of cases, they are used to replace one or two teeth. The longer the bridge extends, the less stable it becomes, so it can be risky to have a bridge replace three or more teeth. Implant bridges lower this risk because they are just as strong as natural teeth.
Do Dental Bridges Look Natural?
At The Dental Spa of New York, our dental bridges are crafted from porcelain and zirconia. These materials can be crafted to match your surrounding teeth, leaving you with a natural-looking smile. These materials look incredibly similar to tooth enamel – even in the way the light bounces off of them. Dental bridges are also very stable, so you don’t need to worry about them moving or shifting around.