Dental Bridges

When you're missing a tooth, the gap allows remaining teeth to shift and move, leading to crowded or crooked teeth that are harder to keep clean and can raise your risk of dental decay and gum disease. It can also affect your bite, cause TMJ disorder, and impact chewing, nutrition, and speech. A dental bridge "bridges the gap," keeping remaining teeth in place and your bite unaffected.

**Traditional Bridge** — the most popular option, with porcelain pontics fused to metal, held in place by dental crowns placed on the adjacent (abutment) teeth.

**Implant-Supported Bridge** — also made of porcelain pontics, but anchored by dental implants rather than crowns on adjacent teeth. Because the implant mimics the vibrations of a natural tooth root during chewing, it helps stimulate and preserve the surrounding bone, and it avoids placing extra stress on the abutment teeth.

The process begins with a consultation and a complete oral exam. For a traditional bridge, Dr. Jobst numbs the area, shapes the abutment teeth, takes an impression for the lab, and places a temporary bridge while your permanent one is fabricated. For an implant-supported bridge, two implants are placed first and given three to six months to fuse with the jawbone before Dr. Jobst attaches the permanent bridge. With both options, you'll receive care instructions, and normal brushing, flossing, and routine visits will help your new restoration last for years to come.

If you have a gap in your smile, call Grand Lake Dental today to schedule a consultation and see if you're a candidate for a fixed dental bridge.