If you’ve been (or are about to be) missing a tooth following dental extraction, you’ll want to know about your tooth replacement options. For most people, they want something that looks lifelike and will offer great longevity.
These days, marketing has made dental implants top of mind for many dental patients. However, Dental Bridges can also provide a great tooth replacement solution.
My goal this week is to answer the questions that patients ask most commonly when it comes to Dental Bridges. In doing so, I’m confident that I can give you enough information to decide if a Bridge might be the right solution for you!
What is a Dental Bridge?
A dental bridge replaces one or more missing teeth. It’s a non-removable appliance that your Hamilton Dentist bonds to the teeth next to an extraction site.
The bridge can be made of white translucent porcelain to give it the shade and lustre of a real tooth. People won’t be able to tell the difference between your bridge and the surrounding natural teeth!
How is a Dental Bridge Made?
The dental bridge is made by a Professional Dental Laboratory in Hamilton, Ontario. The process starts when your Hamilton Dentist prepares the teeth next to a missing tooth site and takes a dental impression. This impression is sent to a nearby dental lab where they make your custom dental bridge.
The bridge is made to have the exact shade of your natural teeth. The dental lab will work closely with our Hamilton Dentists to design teeth that match your natural tooth contours and features.
Our Hamilton Dentists can then bond this Bridge to your pre-prepared abutment teeth. The bridge is a fused unit – when it’s bonded in place, it will fill the space left by a past tooth extraction. Nobody will ever know that you lost a tooth!
How many teeth can you replace using a Dental Bridge?
Most dental bridges replace one or two teeth. Depending on the bridge design and position in the mouth, you can replace more teeth with a dental bridge.
The key is that you want the teeth anchoring each side of the bridge to be able to provide proper support. For example if you have a bridge replacing a molar, and it’s anchored on each side by a molar then that’s great support! On the other hand, if you are replacing 2 molars and 2 premolars with a bridge anchored on a molar tooth and canine, that appliance is likely to brake quickly.
So bridge design is critical. Our Hamilton Dentists will carefully analyze your case to let you know if they think a Dental Bridge will provide you with a strong and long-lasting solution.
How much does a Bridge cost?
The cost of a bridge depends on the number of teeth or “units” within the bridge. If you are replacing a single tooth and the bridge anchors on one tooth on either side, then you have a 3-tooth bridge. That costs about $3,000 – $3,500. If you are replacing two teeth and anchoring to two neighbouring teeth, you have a 4-tooth bridge and that costs about $4,000 – $4,500.
As a general rule, there is $1,000 of cost per tooth involved in your dental bridge.
Thank you for reading today’s post. If you have any further questions or would like to chat with our Hamilton Dentists, please reach out via the contact information provided below.
If you would like to book a consult to discuss Dental Crowns or other treatment options for a fractured or cracked tooth, call us at 905-574-2222 or feel free to request a consult, here.
This article is meant to provide basic dental information about dental conditions, treatment options, and oral health care. It is not meant to constitute direct clinical advice or diagnosis. For dental treatment information and precise costs, please contact your Hamilton Dentist.
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