Dental Bridges
Dental Bridges
Missing teeth can lead to a variety of problems. You may have trouble chewing or find that your speech is impacted by your missing teeth. You may also feel less attractive and find yourself trying to cover your smile, impacting business and social interactions. Missing teeth may cause the pressure of your bite to be unequally distributed or your adjacent teeth may start to move in order to fill in the gap, leading to additional dental concerns. Furthermore, missing teeth can actually alter the structure of your jaw and cause your face to become sunken and misshapen.
Dental bridges are literally used to "bridge" gaps in your teeth. At Cooley Smiles, we regularly recommend this restoration for patients with missing teeth who are not ideal candidates for dental implants.
Your Dental Bridge Procedure
During your first visit to our office, Kenmore cosmetic dentists Dr. Aaron Cooley and Dr. Brandon Cooley will prepare your adjacent teeth to take the bridge. Depending on the type of bridge we will be using, we may need to reshape these teeth to accept a dental crown. After your teeth are prepared, we will take an impression of them to send to Northwest Labs, a local company that produces high quality bridges and crowns. We will also fit you with a temporary dental bridge to be worn until your permanent one is constructed.
During your second visit, Dr. Aaron and Dr. Brandon will remove your temporary bridge and place your permanent one in your mouth. Adjustments are sometimes necessary, and we may choose to only temporarily cement your dental bridge into place to ensure functionality is properly restored. Once your bridge is properly adjusted to your bite, we will permanently attach the bridge.
Dental Bridges
If you are suffering from missing teeth and you live in or near Kenmore, Bellevue, or Seattle, Washington, please contact the experienced cosmetic dentists at Cooley Smiles today to see if dental bridges are the right option for you.
