What is The Dental Bridges Procedure Step by Step?
Dental bridges in Forty Fort, PA are among the best solutions to bridge the space between your missing teeth. In this guide, we’ll explain and take you through the procedure of getting dental bridges. We’ll also explain how long it’ll take to get used to dental bridges.
What is a Dental Bridge?
This is a false tooth called a pontic held in place by abutment teeth on each side of the gap. Although dental bridges can be made from various materials like gold, they’re normally made from porcelain. The porcelain material helps the bridge to blend with the natural teeth aesthetically.
Dental Bridges Procedure Step by Step
A tooth bridge is used to replace your natural teeth with dental crowns supported by implants or adjacent teeth. The procedure of bridges is relatively simple and can be completed in a few clinic visits. However, the number of visits to your dentist in NEPA Dental West varies from one person to the other.
Types of Dental Bridges
There exist four common types of dental bridges:
- Traditional dental bridge
- Cantilever bridge
- Maryland dental bridge
- Implant-supported dental bridge
Why Do I Need a Dental Bridge?
Dental bridges address some changes with your teeth, such as:
- Restoring the ability to chew properly
- They restore your smile
- Bridges restore your pronunciation and speech
- Dental bridges re-adjust your bite and properly distribute force when you chew
Step 1: 1st Visit, which is Pre-Treatment
When getting your dental bridges in Forty Fort, PA, your dentist will first examine you and recommend a dental bridge or crown procedure.
Step 2: 2nd Visit – Preparation, Impression of Final Prosthetic, and Fitting of Provisional Prosthetics
First, the dentist in Forty Fort, PA numbs the area and removes any decay. Afterward, your dentist shapes your adjacent teeth to support the dental bridge. At this point, your dentist will take a scan of your teeth or an impression and send it to the dental lab. The impression will be used to create final prosthetics. Your dentist will then fabricate a temporary prosthetic bridge that will be placed immediately to protect your prepared abutment teeth.
The prosthetic impression will produce color dyes in your mouth, which defines the margins of your gums and teeth. The lab assistant uses these margins as a guide to creating a well-fitting permanent prosthesis. After completing the final impression, the dentist uses a high-viscosity elastomeric impression to register your bite.
Your dentist will disinfect the bite registration and send it to the lab. They’ll then select the right shade of crowns by using a shade guide under natural lighting. You’ll then decide the best shade that matches the teeth adjacent to your missing teeth.
Following dental hygiene and strict dietary guidelines, you’ll wear the provisional bridge for a few days. After that, your dentist advises you to brush, floss, and keep your provisional dental prosthetics clean of debris. Plaque control is very important at this point. Also, you should notify your dentist immediately if the provisional restoration comes off before the next appointment.
Step 3: 3rd Visit – Final Cementation
During your third appointment, your dentist removes the temporary bridge and dabs your gums with a topical anesthetic. This helps numb the discomfort of the actual anesthetic injection. At this stage, the dentist will remove the provisional restoration prosthetic. Then, they’ll remove the remaining temporary dental cement, if any. This is to keep the area clean for a permanent bridge.
You will try on the permanent restoration. If you are satisfied with the appearance, the fit, and the bite, it’s cemented using permanent cement. This stage is critical. Your dentist will cement the abutment’s inner surface with enough cement. This is to ensure the cement adheres properly to your teeth. You’ll have to be patient until your dentist is satisfied that everything is working well.
Once your dentist fits the prosthetics to your mouth, they’ll ask you to bite down continuously until the permanent dental cement has hardened. This takes a few minutes because the cement is made of quick-drying and high-tech materials.
Once the dental cement is sufficiently hardened, your dentist in Forty Fort, PA removes the excess cement. They’ll then give you a final exam. This should be your last visit to your dentist unless they advise you to turn up a few weeks later for a checkup.