Dental Bridges

Smile Makeover Specialist

Living with missing teeth can be limiting, even embarrassing. If you have a space from a missing tooth, a bridge can make an enormous impact your life. A missing tooth can have serious consequences. It can allow the other teeth in your mouth to shift, change your bite, and result in a speech impediment or temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder. Missing teeth also increases your risk for tooth decay and gum disease.

Dental bridges are used in restorative dentistry, to fill in the empty space with a fake tooth. A false tooth is attached to the adjacent teeth with a bridge, which “bridges” together the empty space.

There are several types of fixed (or permanent) bridges. These include:

Conventional fixed bridges
Cantilever bridges
Resin-bonded bridges

Conventional Fixed Bridge – This is a permanent bridge used to fix one or more missing teeth. With this bridge, a false tooth (called a pontic) is fused between two porcelain crowns to fill the space of your missing tooth. There are two dental crowns holding it in place that are attached onto your teeth on each side of the false tooth.

Cantilever Bridges – Cantilever bridges are used when there are teeth on only one side of the open space. During this procedure the false tooth is anchored one side, over the natural part of your adjacent tooth.

Resin Bonded Bridges – This is also used primarily for your front teeth, when your adjacent teeth are healthy and have no major fillings. Here, the false tooth is fused to metal bands that are bonded to the adjacent teeth with a resin, which reduces the amount of preparation on the adjacent teeth.

The Procedure
Dr. Mrinal Bhatt will examine the health of your gums and other teeth to determine whether you are a good candidate for a dental bridge. If you are, you will be given a local anesthetic, and your teeth will be prepared to support the dental bridge. If the support teeth are badly broken down or decayed, your dentist may have to first strengthen them before they can be used to support your bridge.

The dentists at Trans Zen Dental will take an impression of the prepared teeth, which will be sent to a dental lab and used to create your perfectly-fitting bridge. While your bridge is being constructed, you will wear a temporary bridge to protect your gums until your next visit. During that visit, your new bridge will be fitted and cemented. If you practice proper dental hygiene, your bridge could last up to 15 years or more.

Dental bridges can range from $1,000 to $3,000 per tooth. The cost depends on different factors, including:

Any necessary additional procedures, such as fillings or root canals in the supporting teeth.
How much coverage your dental insurance covers.
What material is used for your bridge?
How much preparation work is required of your supporting tooth.

If you are missing teeth, please contact the dentists at Trans Zen Dental for a smile analysis. You’re only visits away from the smile you always dreamed of. Call or e-mail our office today!

Trans Zen Dental, PLLC
8753 E. Bell Rd., Suite 101 | Scottsdale, AZ 85260
Phone: 480-563-4ZEN | Fax: 480-513-4ZEN