Dental Bridges

How Missing Teeth Affect Your Oral Health

Missing teeth affect your oral health and lifestyle in ways you may not expect. For example:

• Your remaining teeth can shift because of the new space, causing difficulty chewing.
• Your bite may become uneven, causing unusual wear and tear on your remaining teeth.
• Your jawbone may weaken without the tooth roots to stimulate it, leading to more missing teeth.
• You may be uncomfortable with the appearance of spaces in your smile.

A dental bridge provides one option that offsets most of these concerns by replacing your missing teeth with fixed porcelain or resin-based false teeth. Most often, a bridge is held in place by shaping the adjacent natural teeth and placing crowns on them. These abutment teeth provide the anchors for one or more false teeth, which fill the gap.

Dr. Victoria Kushensky, a Bronx, NY family cosmetic and implant dentist, along with her top-notch team at Hutchinson Metro Dental can determine whether a bridge is the right solution for you. They’ll explain dental bridge costs and payment options. You’ll learn the difference between a dental bridge vs. implant options before you make a final decision.

Why to Consider Dental Bridges

Your teeth, mouth, gums and tongue work together as a unit for eating and speaking. When teeth are missing, the gaps affect your bite and your speech. You may also find that your face changes shape as teeth move or your jawbone becomes weaker.

Dental bridges fix a number of dental issues, including:

• Keeping your remaining teeth in proper alignment to maintain your optimal speech and appearance
• Restoring the best bite and chewing positions as your teeth properly line up
• Distributing the force of your bite correctly across all your teeth to avoid improper wear-and-tear of your remaining teeth
• Helping you keep a more youthful look for your face, as opposed to the more aged and gaunt appearance that occurs when teeth are missing
• Returning your smile to a more pleasant, symmetrical appearance

Types of Dental Bridges

Dental bridges come in three different styles to fit your dental needs and budget:

Conventional bridges and cantilevered bridges

Conventional bridges and cantilevered bridges require placing crowns on adjacent teeth to support the artificial tooth or teeth. Usually, a cantilever bridge is more suitable for replacing front teeth rather than back teeth that are subjected to greater chewing forces and where this type of bridge wouldn’t be strong enough.

Resin-bonded bridges

Resin-bonded bridges are made of porcelain or plastic, fused to a metal framework. They require less shaping of the adjacent teeth. These bridges are often used for lost front teeth, assuming you have healthy gums.

Implant-based dental bridges

Implant-based dental bridges rely on single tooth implants instead of adjacent teeth for stabilization. Although more costly than other forms of dental bridges, implant-based bridges provide a permanent solution that feels and looks natural. They’re especially beneficial if your adjacent teeth have fillings or are otherwise compromised.

An implant-supported bridge can be a good option if you have multiple missing teeth or need to replace an entire arch. It is an alternative treatment to a full denture.

Dental Bridge vs. Implant Options

There are some distinct differences between most dental bridges and implants. Bridges don’t replace the tooth root, but they usually have a much shorter treatment process than implants. Bridges also usually require permanently altering one or two adjacent teeth.

You can’t get an implant until you reach adolescence, but you may get a bridge at any time. Varying conditions or diseases may cause you to have insufficient bone density for anchoring an implant. If you’re a smoker, for example, implants aren’t a good option. Your family dentist in Bronx, NY may recommend a dental bridge for you. Because they’re less invasive, dental bridges are often a more realistic option for many.

Implants cost more than dental bridge costs. Implants are much more durable, though. How long a dental bridge lasts is determined by your health and good oral hygiene, but you can usually expect a bridge to last between 10 and 20 years. Implants properly cared for can last 40 years or longer.

Best Candidates for a Dental Bridge

When you visit Dr. Victoria Kushensky at the Hutchinson Metro Dental office in Bronx, NY — a Bronx, NY dental practice in Bronx — you have access to the best of all dental worlds. Dr. Kushensky is a trained cosmetic dentist; who practices family and restorative dentistry. He monitors your dental health while restoring your appearance.

Before getting a bridge of any kind, you may require other dental procedures to prepare you for your new teeth, which may include:

• Deep teeth cleaning to clear up any gum disease
• Fillings to address cavities
• A tooth extraction if your teeth are too crowded

Contact Dr. Victoria Kushensky today for an appointment to see if you’re a good candidate for a dental bridge.