A Dental Bridge Helps Replace Missing Teeth
There are three general reasons why you might want Dr. Mark Davis to make you a new bridge. You may be currently missing a tooth and have a desire to span the gap in your teeth with a natural-looking replacement. You may have a tooth that needs to be extracted, and you don’t want to have a new gap in your smile. Finally, you may have an old bridge that has decay around the edges of it, and you want to prevent the decay from spreading further into your tooth. While you may already be interested in and have done research on a new bridge before meeting Dr. Mark Davis, you also may not be aware that a bridge is an option for you. Dr. Mark Davis encourages you to ask him any questions that you may have for both your knowledge and your comfort during your dental treatment appointments. During your dental appointment, we encourage you to relax and listen to your iPod while Dr. Mark Davis begins the process of restoring your teeth to their optimal health. Although having your bridge made in our office is a two-appointment procedure, the majority of the work is completed during your first appointment and you should only need to be numb once.
Whether this is your first bridge or you are replacing an old, failing bridge, the procedures are basically the same. After Dr. Mark Davis numbs your mouth and teeth, a small impression will be taken so that you can leave our office with a functioning temporary bridge. Next, if you have an old, failing bridge, Dr. Mark Davis will remove it and all of the decay on your tooth. Although Dr. Mark Davis is meticulous in his removal and cleaning of your teeth, he also wants to ensure your comfort and so will work as quickly as possible while ensuring that he neither cuts your teeth down too much nor damages your adjacent teeth. There are times when the removal of your old bridge and the new decay leave only the shell of your tooth behind, and in those cases a build-up is required. A build-up is most simply described as a composite or “white” filling inside your tooth that creates a more stable foundation for your final bridge. In almost every case requiring a build-up, Dr. Mark Davis will have already informed you of its necessity, having seen the extent of the decay on your x-rays and during his complete examination of your mouth.
Whether you are replacing your old bridge or this is your first bridge, Dr. Mark Davis will then refine the shape of your teeth adjacent to your missing tooth, creating smooth edges and allowing for maximum retention for your bridge. The next step during your first appointment will be to take a second impression of your teeth so that a custom bridge can be fabricated at our dental lab. After Dr. Mark Davis creates your custom white temporary bridge, you will be done with your first appointment.
Approximately two weeks after your first “prep” appointment, you will have a second appointment with Dr. Mark Davis. Relatively fast and pain-free, this appointment consists of three easy steps. First, Dr. Mark Davis will remove your temporary bridge. Second, Dr. Mark Davis will ensure that your new custom bridge fits your teeth smoothly and sits tightly in your mouth. Finally, Dr. Mark Davis will cement your new bridge. You will be completely done, able to walk out of our office with a stable and healthy bridge!
For our patients who need to have more treatment, we offer a variety of treatment options. The first option, and the most popular, is to have your dental treatment condensed so that all of your teeth are prepared for your crowns and bridges in one appointment and then all of your new crowns and bridges are placed during your second appointment. Not only does this save you time by condensing four or more appointments into only two appointments, but you get the added benefit of only having to be numb once. A second option for your treatment, and also often chosen by our patients, is to have a series of appointments that overlap. While Dr. Mark Davis would concentrate on only one area during your first appointment, the following appointments would combine both the placement of your crown or bridge and the preparation of other teeth. The third option for your treatment would be to spread out your treatment over time, so that each area would require two appointments, one for its preparation and one for the placement of your new crown or bridge.
As Dr. Mark Davis knows that his patients prioritize both comfort and comprehension, he encourages you to ask questions about your teeth and your treatment. Dr. Mark Davis believes that when you understand not only the “what” of your treatment but also the “why” and the “how,” then you will find your appointments to be much more comfortable. In addition, Dr. Mark Davis understands that some of his patients require more than simple discussions and explanations to ensure their comfort, so he does offer oral sedation for not only your appointments with him but also for appointments with his hygienist.
