Steps in Getting Dental Bridge Work Done

Whether you have lost a tooth due to decay, infection or accident, you can get a prosthetic device that will restore your ability to eat and look normal by visiting your dentist. Dental bridges replace teeth that are missing with natural looking prosthetic teeth. The procedure is more complicated than getting a filling and costs considerably more but it will do wonders for your self-confidence and ability to eat normally again. Dental procedures such as receiving a dental bridge may seem complex, but it is not that difficult.

Instructions

• 1

  Call your dentist and make an appointment to discuss whether a bridge will solve your problems. Your dentist is the best person to ask, as he is the most knowledgeable about your mouth and teeth and the capabilities of modern dental procedures.

• 2

  Visit the dentist to get fitted for a bridge. During the first visit, the dentist will get the abutment teeth -- those on either side of the gap where a tooth or teeth are missing -- ready for the bridge. Each of the abutment teeth will receive a crown to hold the bridge in place. The dentist will take impressions of your teeth to serve as a model for the laboratory to fabricate the bridge and the crowns for the abutment teeth. The dentist will make and place a temporary bridge to protect the abutment teeth and the gum.

• 3

  Go to your second dental appointment, where the dentist will remove the temporary bridge and check the permanent bridge for a proper fit. He will temporarily cement the crowns on the abutment teeth and install the bridge. This allows you to wear the bridge for a few weeks to ensure that it fits correctly.

• 4

  Schedule and return for as many checkup visits as your dentist advises. These checkup visits allow your dentist to check the fit of your bridge and the framework that forms it, and to check that your bite doesn't change.

• 5

  Schedule and go to your final visit to have the bridge permanently cemented in place.