Anchorage Alaska Dental Bridges

A practical solution to restoring your smile

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Dental bridges for better oral health and more confidence

A lost tooth (or multiple missing teeth) can certainly be embarrassing, and it can often impact your confidence. You want to be able to speak, smile, and laugh freely, and a dental bridge can help. A tooth bridge addresses the cosmetic and aesthetic issues with having a missing tooth, but it also aids in maintaining your oral health.

More questions? We’re ready to help. Give us a call at (907) 313-1864 or book your appointment now.

Dental bridges can not only hide an embarrassing hole from your smile with a replacement tooth, but they also have some structural benefits that can help save the surrounding teeth.

Our family dentists offer several different services

Why is replacing a missing tooth necessary?

Losing teeth is a common occurrence, especially as we age and our teeth weaken. You might question the need to address a missing tooth, but the truth is, the longer you delay replacing it, the greater the impact on your overall dental health.  If left untreated, a missing tooth will cause all of the teeth in your mouth to shift and fill in the empty space.
This can cause larger dental issues like:

  • Bite issues
  • Poor tooth alignment
  • Jaw and tooth pain
  • Difficulty chewing
  • A change in your face shape

Whether you’re missing a tooth due to an injury, gum disease, decay, or genetics, we’re here to help you restore your oral health, your smile, and your confidence with out Anchorage dental bridges.

What kind of bridges are there?

The type of bridge you get will depend on the condition of your remaining teeth. A dental bridge needs to be fixed either to healthy teeth or to dental implants.
  • Traditional fixed bridges are the most common type of dental bridge. They are placed by being secured to two or more crowned teeth and they contain “filler teeth” in between to fill in the gap of the missing tooth.
  • Bridges supported by implants are similar to traditional bridges, only they are fixed to dental implants instead of existing teeth. This option is ideal for patients who don’t have healthy teeth surrounding the missing tooth.
Dental Bridge example from Mint Dental

What to expect when you get a dental bridge

Once you decide that a dental bridge is a right option for you, the real work begins. Your dentist typically begins by preparing the abutment teeth (described above) that form the boundaries of the dental bridge. The teeth that support the bridge must be carefully modified and “re-contoured” so that a dental crown can be fitted over them seamlessly in the future. This part of the procedure can sound scary but is quite safe.

After the teeth are prepared, a temporary bridge is typically attached to protect the area while your dentist begins to model and fashion the actual dental bridge. Because dental bridges are usually permanent, long-term attachments, accuracy, and precision are especially crucial. Your dentist will do everything he or she can to make the bridge resemble your own teeth as much as possible to minimize future complications.

When the bridge is appropriately finished, the dentist will remove your temporary bridge before installing and adjusting the permanent bridge. This adjustment period can take several visits. Our dentists want to make sure that the bridge fits perfectly. When the best shape has been achieved, he or she will cement the bridge in place, leaving you with a permanent dental prosthetic that returns full functionality to your teeth. Some variation is possible. For example, your dentist might decide to attach the bridge with dental implants rather than by placing dental crowns. But, for the most part, the procedure should resemble the one described above.

Kind words from our patients

Frequently Asked Questions

More questions? We’re ready to help. Give us a call at (907) 313-1864 or book your appointment now.

The best way to care for a dental bridge is to properly care for your remaining teeth. Your bridge is depending on the strength and durability of the teeth it’s secured to, so a solid oral health routine will go a long way:

  • Brush your teeth twice a day for two minutes at a time
  • Floss at least once a day
  • Eat a healthy diet, limiting sugary and acidic foods
  • Visit your dentist every 6 months for routine dental cleanings and exams

When you practice good oral hygiene, your new bridge can easily last 10 years or more. At minimum, tooth bridges last between five and seven years.

The reality is, having missing teeth actually makes it more difficult to speak and to eat certain foods. Replacing the teeth with a dental bridge actually improves speech and makes chewing easier.

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We’re conveniently located in the UMED district of midtown Anchorage.

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