DENTAL BRIDGES
Losing one tooth or several consecutive teeth can make you feel self-conscious about your smile and make chewing and speaking difficult.
A dental bridge is a special dental restoration designed to replace a missing tooth and complete your bite.
At David P. Babb, DMD in Beaufort, SC, we use high-quality materials and personalized smile design to get the best possible results…
What Is a Dental Bridge & What Does It Do?
A traditional bridge is made up of an artificial tooth (pontic) or several artificial teeth supported by a dental crown on either side.
Other types of dental bridges include cantilever bridges, Maryland bridges, and implant-supported bridges. During your consultation, Dr. Babb will explain the differences between traditional bridges, cantilever bridges, Maryland bridges, and implant-supported bridges to help you find a solution that works for you.
See How a Bridge Transformed This Patient's Smile
Before Bridgework
After Bridgework
Why Choose David P. Babb, DMD For Your Dental Bridge?
Personalized Care
We want your dental bridge to look and feel like a natural part of your smile. When designing your bridge, we will take into account your facial features and surrounding teeth to create pontics and crowns that look just like your natural teeth.
Efficient Care
When it comes to replacing teeth, you want to receive treatment as fast as possible. We value your time and maintain a punctual schedule so that you won’t have to wait long to be seen at our Beaufort, SC, office. In some cases, we can even use our CEREC® technology to create a beautiful and long-lasting bridge in one day.
Honest Approach
Dr. David P. Babb, DMD makes it a point to educate every patient about their treatment options. If we do not believe a dental bridge is the best choice for you, we will recommend other treatment options and help you make an informed decision.
Top-Quality Materials
Many patients are worried that their replacement teeth won’t look natural or that they will have an unsightly black line between their gums and their bridge. Our dentist only uses tooth-colored ceramics such as IPS e.max® and zirconia when crafting the pontics and crowns that make up dental bridges, so your restoration will look natural within your smile.
Start Smiling with Confidence
CONTACT US FOR A DENTAL BRIDGE CONSULTATION
The Benefits of a Bridge
Maintain Good Oral Health
Missing teeth can lead to misalignment, tooth wear, and additional tooth loss. A bridge helps you prevent these issues and maintain good oral health.
Eat What You Want
A large gap in your smile can make it difficult to eat the foods you love. With a bridge, you can eat what you want without worries.
Take Pride In Your Smile
Our pontics and dental crowns are made with high-quality ceramic that looks and shines just like your natural teeth.
What to Expect When You Need a Dental Bridge
In some cases, we can create bridges on the same day using our in-office CEREC machine.
Before beginning treatment, Dr. Babb will assess the health of your teeth and gums. If you require any extractions, fillings, or periodontal treatment prior to your bridge treatment, Dr. Babb can provide the care you need at our Beaufort, SC, dental office.
If you are receiving a traditional bridge, Dr. Babb will begin by preparing the teeth on either side of the gap. These teeth will be capped with dental crowns, so they will need to be reshaped so that they can properly support the crowns.
Once we prepare your supporting teeth, we will take digital impressions of your smile using a small handheld device. This eliminates the need for traditional putty impressions, which can be messy and uncomfortable for the patient.
In some cases, we can create bridges on the same day using our in-office CEREC machine. After we upload your impressions to the CEREC software, the machine can mill a strong, lifelike dental bridge out of a single block of ceramic.
If we cannot fabricate your bridge on the same day, we will send your impressions to one of our trusted labs. We are proud to work with some of the highest-quality laboratories in the country.
If you qualify for a CEREC-made dental bridge, you will receive your restoration on the same day. Otherwise, your dental bridge will be completed by the lab and returned to our office in approximately three weeks.
How Traditional Bridges Work
Traditional Bridges vs. Implants:
WHICH IS THE BETTER OPTION?
If you are missing a tooth and thinking about treatment, you may have heard of dental implants. Dental implants are small titanium posts that are surgically placed in the jawbone to replace lost tooth roots. Once the jaw has healed, they can support crowns, bridges, and dentures. There are several reasons to choose an implant-supported dental crown or dental bridge if you have missing teeth:
Preserve Your Natural Teeth
If you are missing one tooth, you can choose an implant-supported crown. If you are missing several, an implant-supported bridge or denture might be a better choice. With implant-supported restorations, there is no need to alter healthy teeth to accommodate your dental restoration.
Promote Jawbone Health
When you lose a tooth, your jawbone almost immediately begins to recede due to an absence of tooth roots. Because dental implants replace tooth roots and provide the necessary stimulation, they prevent jawbone recession. When you choose implants, you can keep your jawline looking healthy and youthful.