Dental Bridges – Jacksonville Beach, FL
Enjoy a Complete and Beautiful Smile
Tooth loss is a frustrating oral health problem that can make it difficult to speak clearly, chew thoroughly, and smile confidently. Thankfully, the skilled team at Seaside Dental of Jacksonville Beach is proud to offer high-quality dental bridges designed to replace one or several sequential missing teeth with beautiful and functional restorations. Here’s a quick look at how dental bridges can improve a patient’s smile and oral health, but please feel free to contact our office if you’d like to know more.
Why Choose Seaside Dental of Jacksonville Beach for Dental Bridges?
- Skilled and Compassionate Dentist
- Gorgeous Dental Restorations
- We Welcome Dental Insurance
What Is a Dental Bridge?
A dental bridge is one or more artificial teeth strung between two dental crowns or dental implants, and they can be used to replace a single missing tooth or several lost teeth in a row. To be a good candidate for dental bridges, you will need to be free from oral infections and have either healthy teeth that can host crowns or sufficient jawbone mass to support dental implants on either side of the gap created by tooth loss. Modern bridges are usually made from ceramic materials to give them a gorgeous and lifelike appearance.
Types of Dental Bridges
The best way to find the ideal restoration to replace your lost teeth is to schedule a consultation at our office in Jacksonville Beach. Based on his findings, Dr. Fox may recommend a dental bridge like:
A Traditional Dental Bridge
A traditional dental bridge consists of one or two artificial teeth supported by dental crowns placed on either side of the gap caused by tooth loss. These devices can be a fantastic way to restore much of your natural chewing power and can last for a decade or more if they receive excellent care.
An Implant Bridge
An implant bridge is a train of two or more artificial teeth supported by titanium dental implants surgically placed in the jawbone. Since titanium has the remarkable ability to fuse with living bone tissue, implant bridges can restore much more chewing force than traditional devices and can last significantly longer. Since implant bridges are not supported by dental crowns, they do not require the alteration of healthy teeth to be placed.
The Benefits of Getting a Dental Bridge
Dental bridges can help prevent a host of oral health issues caused by tooth loss by:
- Supporting the remaining teeth to help prevent dental drift and unnecessary enamel erosion.
- Protecting the gum tissue from injury.
- Improving chewing and speaking ability.
- Enhancing the appearance of the patient’s smile.
If you’d like to learn more about how a dental bridge may be able to help you, please contact our office to schedule a consultation.
Dental Bridges FAQs
Is Getting a Dental Bridge Painful?
The process of getting dental bridges in Jacksonville Beach isn’t painful at all. Before any preparation begins, our team will numb the area with local anesthetic so you won't feel a thing during your appointment.
Some patients experience mild soreness or sensitivity around the treated teeth in the days following the procedure, but this is temporary and easy to manage with over-the-counter pain relievers. Once your permanent bridge is placed and your mouth has adjusted, the prosthetic should feel completely natural. In fact, you’ll probably forget you have it after a while!
How Many Teeth Can a Dental Bridge Replace?
A traditional dental bridge can replace one or several consecutive lost teeth, depending on the size of the gap and the strength of the supporting teeth on either side. Most bridges replace one to three missing teeth in a row. Replacing more than three can lower the integrity of the bridge, causing it to fail sooner than expected.
For more extensive tooth loss, our team may recommend an implant bridge. This option can span a larger gap without relying on natural teeth for support. During your consultation at Seaside Dental of Jacksonville Beach, we'll evaluate your smile and help you find the right solution for your specific situation.
Can Dental Bridges Be Whitened?
Unfortunately, no, dental bridges can’t be whitened. The porcelain or ceramic materials used to make bridges are stain-resistant. This is great for keeping them natural-looking, but it also makes them unresponsive to whitening gel because it's non-porous.
This means whitening treatments will brighten your surrounding teeth without affecting the bridge, potentially creating a noticeable color difference. If you're considering whitening, it's best to do so before your bridge is placed so our team can color-match your restoration to your newly brightened smile.
Can Dental Bridges Get Cavities?
Technically, the artificial teeth that make up your dental bridge can’t develop cavities since they aren't made of natural enamel. However, the abutment teeth supporting the bridge absolutely can. Because your bridge sits over these teeth, food and bacteria can accumulate around the margins if you skip out on oral care.
That's why flossing under and around your bridge using a floss threader or water flosser is so important. This, along with regular checkups at our Jacksonville Beach office, will help keep your bridge sturdy by caring for the teeth that give it support.