Dental Bridges
Northern Virginia, including Arlington, Tysons Corner, Alexandria, Fairfax, and McLean, Virginia Cosmetic Dentistry
One dental problem that can seriously alter the look of your smile and the function of your teeth is the loss of one or more teeth. Even if you brush and floss daily, you can still experience tooth loss for many different reasons including:
- Periodontal (gum) disease
- Poor oral hygiene
- Poor diet
- Trauma or injury to the teeth
- Diabetes or other systemic disease
- Genetics
- Age
- Teeth grinding or clenching
- Tobacco use
Our highly trained and experienced cosmetic dentists offer a variety of options to correct tooth loss. Gaps between teeth should be corrected to prevent tooth shifting, loss of jaw bone, loss of function, as well as, for aesthetic reasons.
The Traditional Dental Bridge Process
The easiest way to think about a dental bridge is that it “bridges the gap” that occurs when a tooth is lost. A traditional dental bridge consists of two dental crowns and a pontic, or artificial tooth, in between the two dental crowns. During the dental bridge procedure, our cosmetic dentists prepare the teeth that are adjacent to the empty space to receive porcelain crowns. A small amount of tooth enamel is removed on each tooth so custom-fitted porcelain crowns can be made to perfectly fit the teeth in size, shape and color. The goal is to make the dental crowns look and feel natural in your smile.
Once the teeth are prepared, a mold is taken of the teeth and sent to our master dental lab technician so the bridge can be custom-made to the precise specifications. It may take a couple of weeks for the dental bridge to be prepared, so we provide each patient with a temporary dental bridge so there is no visible gap in your smile.
When your dental bridge is ready, you will return to the office to receive the permanent dental bridge. We take time to ensure that it fits properly and comfortably and that it does not interfere with your bite or ability to speak clearly.
If you would like to learn how dental bridges can help save and restore your smile, please contact the experienced dental bridge team of cosmetic dentists at Galleria Dental Aesthetics, located in Tysons Corner and serving Fairfax, Arlington, Alexandria, McLean and Northern Virginia areas, for a dental bridge consultation.
