Dental Bridges in Gainesville, VA

Missing teeth cause more than just a cosmetic concern. Tooth loss can lead to difficulty with eating and speaking normally as well as problems with your bite. When natural teeth are lost and left unreplaced, the surrounding teeth tend to migrate into the spaces your teeth once occupied. A dental bridge is a common solution to replacing missing teeth and return function and appearance to your smile. Bridges fill gaps in the smile by attaching to neighboring teeth or a set of dental implants. At Atlas Walk Dental & Orthodontics, skilled restorative dentists and our team create custom dental bridges using high-quality materials to restore health and beauty to your smile. If tooth loss has impacted your oral health, schedule a treatment consultation with our Gainesville, VA team and learn more about your tooth replacement options.

Losing a natural tooth goes beyond an aesthetic issue for most patients. Gaps left between the teeth can significantly impact your oral health and overall wellness. Teeth rely on surrounding teeth to maintain their normal positions. Over time, even a single missing tooth can lead to changes in your bite, your appearance, and your ability to speak and eat comfortably if it is not replaced. A dental bridge can be custom-crafted to replace one or more missing teeth and improve your oral health and confidence in your smile.

Bridges are made of two or more crowns that are fused together, the ends of which connect to healthy adjacent teeth or dental implants for support. A pontic, or fake tooth, is in the center of the bridge and fills the gap left by a missing tooth. Bridges are typically made of ceramic or porcelain-fused-to-metal colored to match your surrounding enamel shade but can also be crafted of an all-metal material. A consultation with a member of the Atlas Walk team can determine if a bridge is ideal for your smile and whether neighboring teeth are healthy enough to support this type of tooth replacement. Our skilled dentists place traditional, Maryland-bonded, cantilever, and implant-supported dental bridges.

We will begin the bridge procedure by numbing the area and providing sedation if needed. Our dentists will then prepare the teeth designated to support the ends of the bridge by removing a portion of the tooth enamel. We will then take an impression of the area, which will be sent to our elite dental lab and used to create your final bridge restoration. A temporary bridge will be placed to maintain the space until your permanent bridge is ready. You will return to our office about 1 – 2 weeks later to have your bridge cemented in place over your teeth or to a series of implants surgically placed in your jawbone. We will adjust your bridge as needed to ensure a comfortable fit and bite.

You may experience minor tooth sensitivity for a few days following your bridge preparation procedure. If your bridge feels loose or your bite feels off, please contact our team right away so that we can make any necessary adjustments. Cleaning around a bridge is a little different than that of natural teeth. We will demonstrate how to brush and floss properly to help you keep your bridge clean and supporting teeth healthy between dental visits. It is important to understand that cavities can still develop under your bridge, so maintaining a good home care routine along with regular dental cleanings and exams is crucial to the health of your smile. With proper care, your bridge can serve your dental health for several years. We will continue to assess the health of your bridge during your routine exam appointments.

Dental bridges are restorative procedures that are usually covered, at least in part, by many dental insurance plans. Before beginning your bridge procedure, our team will contact your insurance provider and review your list of covered benefits. If you have any out-of-pocket costs or do not have dental insurance, we will review our flexible payment options and provide information on medical financing through CareCredit®. We are proud to provide affordable care options for your oral health and can work with you to find a solution that fits within your budget.

A gap in the smile left by a missing tooth affects more than your appearance. Tooth loss that is left untreated can lead to greater expense and more complex treatment needs in the future. If you have lost a tooth, let skilled us review your options for tooth replacement. Our team at Atlas Walk Dental & Orthodontics is proud to offer top-quality bridge restorations to improve your oral health and create a confident smile. Get in touch with our Gainesville, VA team today to reserve your treatment consultation.