Fill Gaps Caused by 1 to 3 Missing Teeth
A dental bridge offers a seamless solution for missing teeth by securing an artificial tooth to your existing teeth or dental implants. Known as a ‘fixed partial denture,’ these bridges are permanently attached, eliminating the need for removal during sleep or cleaning. Addressing gaps left by missing teeth is essential for maintaining both aesthetics and oral health. Missing teeth can affect your ability to speak and chew properly, and without intervention, adjacent teeth can shift out of alignment.
Long-Lasting Benefits of Dental Bridges
Missing teeth can affect your comfort and confidence. Dental bridges not only restore your smile but also offer significant long-term advantages for your overall dental health and stability. Here are the benefits of choosing a dental bridge:
Comfort
Missing teeth can immediately impact your comfort and confidence. Dental bridges provide a reliable solution to restore your natural appearance and oral function, allowing you to smile and eat with confidence and regain the smile you know and love. Missing teeth can cause discomfort and sometimes make it difficult or painful to speak or eat. Dental bridges offer a long-lasting solution to this discomfort caused by missing teeth—lasting more than ten years with proper care.
Tooth Health
The integrity of your teeth is essential for supporting facial structure and maintaining proper bite alignment. Missing teeth can disrupt this balance, allowing adjacent teeth to shift positions. By stabilizing adjacent teeth, dental bridges help prevent dental issues such as decay, periodontal disease, jaw pain, and TMJ disorder, which can arise when teeth are misaligned.
Bone Health
Maintaining healthy teeth is essential for preserving a strong jawbone. Declining dental health can compromise the bone and supporting tissues around your teeth. Using a dental bridge to stabilize your dental condition helps mitigate bone loss associated with missing teeth, promoting long-term bone health and overall oral stability.
The Cost of a Dental Bridge in Baton Rouge
Prices for dental bridges can vary widely depending on individual circumstances. For those without insurance, costs typically range from $2000 to $3000 and above. With typical insurance coverage, patients generally pay an average of $800 to $1200 or more for a dental bridge.
- Type and Material: Different bridge types and materials (e.g., porcelain, metal alloy)
- Number of Missing Teeth: More missing teeth generally mean higher costs
- Procedure Location and Complexity: Costs vary based on procedure complexity and location
- Adjacent Teeth Condition: The health of nearby teeth affects treatment and cost
- Supplies and Equipment: Necessary supplies and equipment for the procedure
Key factors influencing dental bridge costs include:
Obtaining an accurate dental quote requires an in-person consultation. Your dental needs are unique, so it’s essential to undergo an oral exam with a dentist to explore all treatment options and receive a precise quote. For those with dental insurance, we can provide a quote for you to submit, enabling you to determine your out-of-pocket costs beforehand.
Contact us today
to schedule an initial consultation & exam.
Your consultation will include an examination of everything from your teeth, gums and soft tissues to the shape and condition of your bite. Generally, we want to see how your whole mouth looks and functions. Before we plan your treatment we want to know everything about the health and aesthetic of your smile, and, most importantly, what you want to achieve so we can help you get there.
Frequently Asked Questions
Dental bridges come in various types: permanent and semi-permanent. Referred to as fixed partial dentures, bridges are semi-permanent and attached to existing teeth or implants. Unlike dentures, which are removable and include both teeth and pink gum tissue, bridges are fixed and consist solely of teeth.
Cantilever bridges are employed when there are no adjacent teeth on one side of the missing teeth. However, they are now less frequently used and not recommended for the posterior of the mouth, where they can exert excessive force on neighboring teeth, potentially causing damage. If you have missing teeth at the back of your mouth, it is advisable to consider alternative solutions.
The procedure generally requires two appointments, each lasting less than an hour.
Our practice primarily utilizes porcelain for dental bridges, offering durability and aesthetic benefits. Bridges can also be constructed from gold alloys, non-precious alloys, or a combination of materials to suit individual needs.
Dental bridges and crowns are often mistakenly used interchangeably, but they serve distinct purposes. Dental crowns are prosthetic caps placed over damaged, chipped, or worn teeth to strengthen them and prevent decay. On the other hand, dental bridges are designed to fill the gap created by one or more missing teeth, bridging the space between adjacent teeth or implants.
Using just a crown to fill a gap caused by a missing tooth isn’t feasible. Crowns, designed as dental caps resembling natural teeth, require support from either a prepared existing tooth, a post-supported partial tooth, or a dental implant beneath the gum line for stability and functionality.
Zirconia is a material commonly used for dental bridges. Feel free to ask us for more information, and we will gladly discuss the available materials and provide recommendations tailored to your specific needs.
