San Antonio Dental Bridge

Our professional friendly dental bridge staff knows that your smile’s appearance and functionality can be adversely affected by missing teeth. Missing one or more teeth can cause a change in bite which is commonly referred to by dentists as occlusion. Teeth occlusions can cause speech impediments, a greater chance of tooth decay, and increased risk for periodontal disease. In addition, teeth being moved and shifted around can result in a disorder known as TMJ.

Obtaining a dental bridge in San Antonio TX from Dr. John Moore and other dental associates from Cosmetic Dental Associates can help to correct occlusions and prevent diseases, misalignments, and speed impediments. Dental bridges, like implants and partial dentures, are used to replace missing teeth. There are several types of fixed dental bridges that cannot be removed. These fixed dental bridges include conventional fixed bridges, cantilever bridges and resin-bonded bridges.

Conventional and cantilever bridges usually require the shaping of the teeth surrounding a lost tooth. Crowns or “caps” are then placed on the shaped teeth and attached to an artificial tooth referred to as a pontic.

A resin-bonded dental bridge from dentists doesn’t need as much preparation of adjacent teeth. Sometimes it is used to replace front teeth, if the gums are healthy and the surrounding teeth haven’t had any extensive dental fillings.

Am I an Ideal Candidate for a Dental Bridge?

Our San Antonio General Dentist, Dr. John Moore, uses cosmetic dentistry and looks at the health of your gums and other existing teeth to determine whether you are an ideal candidate for a dental bridge during your first visit to our San Antonio dental office. If our dentist determines that you are a strong candidate for a dental bridge, a local anesthetic must be given to you in order for our dentist to be able to prepare the teeth needed to support the bridge. The dentist may have to build decayed or broken down teeth back up prior to them being used to support teeth for the bridge.

After that, an impression of the prepared teeth is made by Dr. John Moore, our dentist, with a putty-like material that is used to create a mold of your teeth. Your dental bridge is fabricated based on this model by a skilled lab technician, right here in the office, so that it precisely fits the prepared teeth. Having a restoration fit perfectly is essential to avoiding additional oral health problems such as tooth decay. During the fabrication process, the dentist will fit you with a temporary bridge until the permanent one is ready so the teeth and gums can be protected from damage.

At your follow up visit, you will have the bridge fitted, custom shaded, and cemented in order to complete the dental bridge procedure. We use the latest in advanced technology to provide our dental bridge procedure.