Dental Bridge in Loves Park IL
A dental bridge is a permanent restoration appliance that replaces one missing tooth or several. It is custom fabricated from several components that are fused together to fill the vacant space. Dental bridges are used to close the gap between two teeth. They literally bridge the gap. A dental bridge is a false tooth, or pontic, held in place by the abutment teeth on both sides of the gap. Although pontics are made from a variety of materials, usually they are created from porcelain to aesthetically match your natural teeth.
At Riverside Dental Center, we value our patient relationships, making it our priority to deliver gentle and compassionate care that you deserve from your dentist in Loves Park. We collectively focus on making you feel at ease by providing you exceptional care in a relaxed, convenient atmosphere. Our team goal is to develop lifelong relationships with our patients by combining the latest dental technology with a professional and caring staff. The result is a beautiful, healthy smile that will last a lifetime. We also emphasize preventive care and patient education because we want you to understand why it is so important to keep your mouth healthy and how to exercise daily hygiene to accomplish it. We are located at 2028 E. Riverside Blvd., Ste 210, Loves Park, IL, 61111. Please call us today at 815-877-4300 to schedule an appointment for an evaluation of the benefits of dental bridge for you and your smile.
Replacing one or several teeth can be easily achieved with a dental bridge. If you are currently missing teeth, you might feel self-conscious about your smile, but the impact of missing teeth goes beyond that. Problems can arise from a missing tooth including decay, additional tooth loss, and more. Your remaining natural teeth will drift into the open gap affecting your alignment, and your gums and the surrounding tissue will become more susceptible to decay and disease.
Looking for quality dental care? Don't wait any longer! Fill out our simple form or call our number to schedule an appointment with our skilled team of dental professionals today.
(815) 877-4300
Are You a Candidate for a Dental Bridge?
Some factors that make you a good candidate for a dental bridge include:
- Missing one or more of your natural teeth.
- Having healthy teeth and stable bone structure to support the bridge.
- You have good oral health.
- Having overall good health, no severe health conditions, infections, or other health problems.
- You will perform good oral hygiene to maintain the condition of the dental bridge.
Riverside Dental Center will discuss with you these factors before deciding if a bridge is best for you.
The Benefits of a Dental Bridge
Dental bridges can provide numerous benefits to you, including:
- They will restore a natural look to your mouth and smile.
- They can restore your ability to speak normally, as missing teeth often impede proper enunciation.
- By preventing bone loss, you will maintain normal facial structure.
- They restore your ability to chew food efficiently.
- They will prevent adjacent neighboring teeth from shifting into the empty space, which causes issues with your bite and leads to other complications.
The Different Types of Dental Bridges
There are four main types of dental bridges:
- Traditional dental bridge- A traditional dental bridge is either a false tooth or several teeth being held in place by dental crowns that have been permanently cemented onto the abutment teeth. This is the most popular type of dental bridge and is used when you have natural teeth on both sides of the gap.
- Cantilever dental bridge- The pontic in a cantilever dental bridge is held in place by a crown that is cemented to just one abutment tooth. You only need one natural tooth for support.
- Maryland dental bridge- Like a traditional bridge, Maryland dental bridges use two natural abutment teeth on each side of the gap for support. Instead of placing crowns on the abutment teeth, a Maryland bridge uses a framework that is bonded onto the backs of the abutment teeth.
- Implant-supported dental bridge- Implant-supported bridges use dental implants for support instead of crowns or frameworks. One implant is surgically placed in the gap and holds the bridge in position. If an implant for each missing tooth is not possible, the bridge might have a pontic suspended between two implant-supported crowns.
The implant-supported bridge is considered the strongest and most stable system, and requires two appointments, the first to surgically place the implants in the jawbone and a second to place the bridge.
It can take several months for this treatment to be completed.
Meet Dr. Dimke
Dr. David Dimke is a compassionate and skilled dentist who has been serving patients for over 20 years. As the team dentist for the Rockford IceHogs, he understands the importance of precision and excellence in his work.
Meet Dr. Hermanson
Dr. Joshua Hermanson is a talented dentist who is passionate about helping his patients achieve their best smiles. He has a gentle and caring approach to dentistry and is committed to providing exceptional care to each patient.
Meet Dr. Zammuto
Meet Dr. Peter Zammuto, a passionate dentist who graduated from Midwestern Dental in 2015 and has been providing exceptional dental care for 8 years. He is passionate about helping his patients achieve optimal oral health.
Meet Dr. Konieczki
Dr. Corey Konieczki is a talented and experienced dentist who is passionate about helping his patients achieve healthy and beautiful smiles. He was born and raised in Rockford, Illinois and is proud to serve his local community.
The Dental Bridge Process
The process of having a dental bridge placed in your mouth can be accomplished in a few simple steps. The first step involves preparing the abutment teeth to support the bridge. The second step is making either a physical or digital impression of the abutment teeth and the arch so that the dental lab can prepare the bridge.
The impression, or digital scan, is sent to the dental lab, and in a few weeks a new bridge will arrive at Riverside Dental Center and be ready for placement. We will fit the bridge to make sure it is the proper size, shape, color, and texture. Then, we will cement the bridge to the abutment teeth. This cement is final, and once your bridge is placed, it will not be removed again.
Aftercare
It is important to care for your dental bridge as you would care for your natural teeth. If not properly cared for, dental bridges can cause irritation, infection and even decay. It is essential to maintain your six-month preventative exams following the placement of your dental bridge.
Special tools might be suggested to clean your bridge including threaded floss, dental picks, and water flossers for good oral hygiene.
Superior Dentistry with A Personal Touch
The entire team at Riverside Dental Center believes that you should have sufficient information to make educated and informed decisions about your oral health, treatment options, and the choice of your dentist in Loves Park. You will find all this essential information on our website, including directions to our Loves Park office, service descriptions, patient forms, patient education resources, and more.
We are located at 2028 E. Riverside Blvd., Ste 210, Loves Park, IL, 61111. Please call us today at 815-877-4300 to schedule an appointment for your dream smile. Let us smile together.