A dental bridge can replace one or more of your missing teeth. The bridge includes two crowns that are placed on the surrounding teeth and act as anchors; these anchor teeth are known as the abutment teeth. Between the abutment teeth, false teeth called pontics fill in the gaps in your smile.

Preparation for a Dental Bridge

We begin the treatment for your dental bridge in by preparing your abutment teeth. This step involves reshaping these teeth so that we can place the bridge anchors on them. Traditionally, multiple appointments and a waiting period of a few weeks were required to manufacture a dental bridge. Innovative CEREC technology minimizes this wait and allows us to create in-house dental bridges faster than lab-manufactured ones.

The process for making a CEREC Dental Bridge

CEREC (chairside economical restoration of esthetic ceramic) uses digital scanning and computer-assisted design and manufacturing that make it possible to produce same-day dental bridges. After we take digital impressions of your teeth, we use computer software to design your bridge. A milling machine that functions like a 3D printer produces your new dental bridge while you relax. When your bridge is complete, we cement it onto the abutment teeth to secure it. We use the technology for CEREC dental bridges in to make our dental bridges in-house so we can restore your smile faster than a lab.

What happens after you get a Dental Bridge?

After you get your bridge you can brush and floss your bridge as normal and follow our recommendations for your dental cleanings and appointments. Because the bridge is a single piece that connects multiple teeth together, you will have to use special tools, like a water pik, floss threader, or interdental brushes, to clean under and around your bridge. We will show you how to use these tools when you get your bridge so you are comfortable cleaning around it. Most dental bridges last between 10 and 20 years; you can prolong the lifespan of your bridge with proper dental hygiene.