Dental Bridges: How They Work and Why They Are Effective

The functionality of dental bridges lies in their unique design that uses surrounding healthy teeth, known as abutment teeth, to distribute biting and chewing forces evenly. These abutment teeth are reshaped by removing a portion of enamel to accommodate a crown, which provides support on either side of the gap.

The missing tooth is then replaced with an artificial tooth, known as a pontic, which is suspended in the gap. Not only does this provide a functional replacement, but it also restores the aesthetics of your smile, as the pontic is attached to crowns or wings placed on the abutment teeth.

The process of installing a dental bridge at Page Mansourian begins with the preparation of the abutment teeth. We take impressions of your teeth, which serve as a model for the dental lab to create your customized dental bridge, pontic, and crowns. A temporary bridge is used to protect your teeth and gums while your permanent bridge is being crafted.

Once your custom-made bridge is ready, we remove the temporary one and adjust your new bridge to achieve a proper fit. This fitting process may require multiple visits to our practice to ensure comfort and accurate bite. Once the fit is perfect, we cement the dental bridge into place, restoring a natural appearance to your smile.

From the initial consultation stage to the final placement of the dental bridge, our highly experienced team will guide you through each step of the process. Our first step is to evaluate your oral health, using advanced imaging techniques to determine whether a dental bridge is the most suitable solution for your specific needs.

The dental bridge is then created in a dental laboratory. During this process, we provide a temporary bridge to protect your prepared teeth and gums.

Once your custom-made dental bridge is ready, we will meticulously fit and cement it into place.

The benefits of getting a dental bridge at Page Mansourian include restoring the aesthetics and functionality of your teeth, preventing the shifting of adjacent teeth, evenly distributing bite forces, and providing a stable occlusion for normal chewing and speaking.

However, we also want to ensure you’re fully informed of all aspects of receiving a dental bridge. This includes understanding that the supporting teeth need to be strong and healthy, that dental bridges may be more expensive than other dental treatments, that some sensitivity may be experienced during the preparation of the supporting teeth, and that bridges may need replacement over time.

At Page Mansourian’s medical practice, we understand the importance of maintaining a healthy smile, and a key part of that is proper care for your dental bridge.

Daily Care:

• Brush twice daily: This will help remove plaque and bacteria from your bridge and the surrounding teeth.
• Floss regularly: Use a floss threader or special bridge floss to clean under the bridge and between the artificial teeth.
• Rinse with mouthwash: To further reduce bacteria and help prevent gum disease.

Additional Care:

• Avoid hard or sticky foods: To protect your bridge from damage, avoid foods that could bend or break the artificial teeth.
• Limit sugary drinks and snacks: Consuming these foods increases your risk of decay under the bridge or surrounding teeth. Opt for a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and dairy products.

Dr. Page Mansourian and our team emphasize the importance of caring for your dental bridge. By following these guidelines of regular brushing and flossing, professional cleanings, maintaining healthy gums, and following a nutritious diet, your dental bridge can last for many years.

Dental bridges done by Dr. Mansourian not only restore the function of the missed teeth, but they can also significantly improve your bite and speech.

Bite Improvement

Missing teeth can critically affect your biting ability. A dental bridge fills the gap left by the missing tooth or teeth, restoring the natural spacing of your teeth, ensuring that the bite pressure is evenly distributed, and improving your ability to chew food.

Speech Improvement

Our teeth play a crucial role in the way we pronounce words. Missing teeth, especially the front ones, can cause speech problems such as slurring of words or difficulty in pronouncing certain sounds. A dental bridge replaces these missing teeth, providing the necessary structure for proper speech and restoring the natural contours of your mouth, thereby improving your ability to speak clearly.

A dental bridge done at Page Mansourian’s practice can indeed improve both your bite and speech by replacing missing teeth, restoring bite balance, and providing the necessary structure for proper pronunciation. It is a valuable option for restoring missing teeth and improving your overall oral health. For more information, please contact us or schedule an appointment online. We are conveniently located at 4015 Mission Oaks Blvd. Suite A, Camarillo, CA 93012. We serve patients from Camarillo CA, Somis CA, Santa Rosa Valley CA, Oxnard CA, Hidden Valley CA, Thousand Oaks CA, and surrounding areas.