Dental Bridges Procedure – Everything You Need To Know About Dental Bridges

Dental bridges are one of the best solutions to bridge the gap between your missing teeth, if any. In this article we we will try to answer some common questions people have about procedure to get dental bridges including how much does it cost to get dental bridges and how long it take to get used to dental bridges?

Dental Bridges Procedure – A Step By Step Guide to Get Dental Bridges

Dental bridges are one of the best solutions to bridge the gap between your missing teeth, if any. A dental bridge can be used to replace your natural teeth with dental crowns, supported by healthy adjacent teeth, or by dental implants. The false teeth that are attached using bridges are called pontics, and are usually made out of alloy materials, gold, porcelain, metal fused with ceramics. The procedure for dental bridges is relatively simple, and can be completed satisfactorily with a few clinic visits. The number of visits to your dental clinic will vary from case to case.

Step 1: 1st Visit – Pre-treatment

• You’ll first be examined by your dentist and recommended a crown or bridge procedure.

Step 2: 2nd Visit – Preparation, impression for final prosthetic  Fitting of Provisional Prosthetics

• First, your dentist will numb the area, and remove any decay. After this, your dentist will shape the adjacent teeth that will support the bridge.
• At this point, the dentist takes an impression or a scan  of your teeth, which is used by the lab to create the final prosthetics, your dentist will fabricate a provisional prosthetic bridge to be placed immediately to protect your newly prepared abutment teeth.
• The prosthetic impression produces color dyes in your mouth which define the margins of your teeth and gums. Using these margins as a guide, the lab assistant will create a well-fitting permanent prosthesis. After the final impression is completed, your dentist will use a high-viscosity elastomeric impression material to register your bite. This bite registration is then disinfected and sent to the laboratory, your dentist might use digital scanner to capture
• Your dentist will select the right shade of crowns, under natural lighting, using a shade guide. Both you and your dentist will decide which shade best matches the teeth adjacent to your missing teeth
• You will wear the provisional bridge for a few days, following strict dietary and dental hygiene guidelines. You’ll be told how to brush and floss and keep the provisional dental prosthetics clean of debris. Plaque control is very important at this point, as is the fact that you need to notify your dental office immediately if the provisional restoration comes off before your next appointment.

Step 3: 3th Visit – Final Cementation

• During your third visit your dentist will remove the temporary bridge and dab your gums with topical anesthetic, to numb the discomfort of the actual anesthetic injection.
• At this stage, your dentist removes your provisional restoration prosthetic. Then he or she will remove remaining temporary cement, if any, to keep the area clean for your permanent bridge.
• The permanent restoration is tried on, and if both you and your dentist are satisfied with the appearance, the bite and the fit, then it is cemented using permanent cement.
• This stage is critical. The dentist needs to cement the abutment’s inner surface with enough cement to ensure it adheres properly to your teeth. You’ll have to be patient till your dentist is totally satisfied that everything is working well.
• Once the prosthesis is fitted into your mouth, you’ll be asked to bite down continuously until the permanent dental cement has hardened. This will take a few minutes, as the permanent cement is made out of high-tech, quick-drying materials.
• Once the cement is sufficiently hardened, your dentist will remove excess cement, if any and give you a final examination. This will be your last visit, unless your dentist wants you to turn up a few weeks later for a checkup.

Summary

The procedure for dental bridging requires multiple tasks, and it falls on the dentist or their assistant to keep track of each. Sometimes, multiple visits may be required to validate your bite and the metal framework’s fit. The gaps between each visit could be as less as a week, or several weeks if your dentist wants to ensure your bridge is fitting properly. This is especially true if your dental bridge is a fixed bridge.