Rebuilding confident smiles with dental bridges.
A confident smile is a complete smile, one that is free of gaps and filled with healthy teeth, at Piedra Dental Group, Drs. Alejandro Piedra and Robert Weishoff provide the full range of tooth replacement methods to rebuild a broken smile. In doing so, we can help our neighbors from across the Cooper City, Florida area rediscover their confident smiles.
A bridge is a non-surgical way to replace one or many teeth. A bridge uses the adjacent teeth as anchors to support the missing tooth or teeth. With today’s dental advancements, a bridge can be fabricated in a fairly short period of time, using a metal or nonmetal foundation. Don’t let that missing tooth affect the way you speak, eat, and smile. Bridges yield immediate results that last a lifetime. Ask your dentist what type of bridge may be right for you.
How do you replace missing teeth?
We offer all of the methods that are available today! These options include:
- Dental bridges to generally replace one tooth or a few teeth in a row
- Partial dentures to generally replace scattered groups of teeth
- Traditional removable dentures to replace all of the teeth in the upper or lower arch (as an upper or lower denture)
- Complete dentures to replace all of the teeth in the mouth (both upper and lower dentures)
- Dental implants to replace one tooth (with a crown), a few teeth (with a bridge), and many or all teeth with an upper and/or lower denture(s)
How is a dental bridge designed?
Just as bridges over bodies of water span two points, dental bridges span the empty spaces between the teeth. Those teeth that are adjacent or closest to the empty space anchor the replacement tooth, which is known as a pontic. Before the pontic may be placed, the anchoring teeth (“abutments”) must be filed down to make way for a crown. These crowns support the tooth that will fill in the gap. Impressions of the teeth are made, and you are fitted with a temporary bridge to wear as the dental lab makes your final restorations. Once the permanent bridge is ready, the temporary one is removed, and the crowns are secured to the abutments, effectively anchoring the pontic and the bridge as a whole.
Note: Just like architectural bridges, there are many designs for dental bridges. The most common type is mentioned above. We will discuss your options during a consultation.
How do dental implants support a bridge?
Dental implant-supported bridges are considered an alternative to the conventional bridge. With this approach, Drs. Piedra and Weishoff would generally introduce two dental implants to the site of your missing teeth. The implants are made from special materials that naturally integrate with the surrounding bone. They effectively become a part of the jaw. The dental bridge may then be attached to the implants. So, the implants function as tooth roots to hold the bridge in place. With this technique, we do not need to rely on neighboring teeth for support. In turn, any surrounding and healthy teeth are preserved, and crowns and the associated preparation of the teeth are rendered unnecessary.
What are the benefits of a traditional bridge?
This is an economical and fast option that can last for many years with good oral care. Piedra Dental Group can provide guidance on how to properly clean your bridge. We may even give you special floss threaders and interdental brushes to try. Replacing your teeth with a bridge not only completes your attractive smile but also prevents further damage. Other teeth will not begin to shift toward the gaps in your smile.
Don’t hesitate to request your appointment today. Call (954) 329-0673 to speak with a member of our team in Cooper City, FL.
