Dental Bridges

Your new bridge is customized to the exact specifications of your smile. Before cementing to the underlying teeth or affixing it to the supporting implants, the shade, occlusion, and all aspects of its fit get carefully checked. In addition to being designed to blend seamlessly with your smile, it's also made to suit your bite and withstand all manner of oral function. We take great care to make sure your new restoration looks great, fits well, and that your bite feels comfortable.

Replacing missing teeth with a dental bridge is a worthwhile investment in the look, health, and function of your smile. While many dental insurances offer coverage for a dental bridge, and some toward the cost of implants, the benefits and amounts can vary significantly from plan to plan. At the office of Chadha & Co Dental, we understand the financial considerations involved in care and do all we can to help patients begin treatment without any additional stress or delay. In addition to doing our best to optimize your dental benefits, we also offer several payment and financing options. Feel free to contact our office if you have any questions on the cost of care, dental insurances, financing plans, or acceptable forms of payment.

Now that your new permanent crown or bridge is in place, it's essential to maintain good oral hygiene. With proper care, your new restorations will last for years to come. Make sure to brush and floss as instructed. We'll show you how to floss under your dental bridge to keep your new smile clean and bright. Remember to make appointments for your routine checkups and professional cleanings.

The standard answer is that with routine dental visits and good home care, a bridge can last ten to fifteen years, and in many cases, much longer.

At the office of Chadha & Co Dental, we fabricate your bridge from the highest quality dental materials to achieve the most cosmetically pleasing and lifelike results of care. It's also customized to the exact specifications of your smile and designed for optimal aesthetics, strength, and stability. Once fabricated and cemented into place, you'll feel confident sharing your smile, speaking, and eating your favorite foods.

As your trusted partner in care, we analyze every aspect of your smile to develop a treatment plan that provides aesthetically pleasing, healthy, and long-lasting results of care.

For more information on dental bridges, or any services we provide, give us a call today.

A dental bridge is a fixed prosthetic that replaces one or more missing teeth by spanning the gap with artificial teeth called pontics. The pontics are anchored to supports at each end, which may be crowns placed on natural teeth or attachments to dental implants. Because the components are joined together, a bridge restores chewing function and facial contours in a way that looks and feels similar to natural teeth.

Bridges also help prevent adjacent teeth from drifting into the empty space, which can alter bite relationships and create areas that are harder to clean. By reestablishing contact points and occlusion, a properly designed bridge distributes biting forces more evenly across the mouth. This functional restoration contributes to comfort, clearer speech, and improved long-term oral health.

Common bridge designs include traditional fixed bridges, cantilever bridges, resin-bonded (Maryland) bridges, and implant-supported bridges. Traditional bridges use crowns on the teeth adjacent to the gap to support one or more pontics. Cantilever bridges are supported on only one side and are used where space or tooth structure limits support, while Maryland bridges use a bonded framework that requires minimal preparation of adjacent teeth.

Implant-supported bridges are anchored to dental implants rather than natural teeth, providing support similar to natural roots and often preserving jawbone volume. Each design has distinct clinical indications based on the health and position of neighboring teeth, available bone, and aesthetic needs. Your dentist will recommend the approach that best balances durability, tissue preservation, and appearance for your situation.

Good candidates for a tooth-supported bridge typically have healthy teeth adjacent to the missing space that can serve as reliable abutments. Adequate periodontal health and stable biting relationships are important because the abutment teeth will bear additional load. If those teeth are compromised or if there is significant bone loss, alternative approaches such as implant-supported restorations may be considered.

General health, oral hygiene habits, and realistic expectations also influence candidacy, and active gum disease or decay should be treated before bridge placement. A comprehensive evaluation that includes clinical examination and imaging helps determine whether a traditional, conservative, or implant-supported bridge is the most appropriate choice for you at Chadha & Co Dental in North Bethesda.

The process for a traditional bridge begins with a thorough exam, diagnostic imaging, and a discussion of treatment goals. During preparation, the abutment teeth are shaped to accept crowns and precise impressions or digital scans are taken to design the final restoration. A temporary bridge is usually placed to protect the prepared teeth and maintain aesthetics and function while the lab fabricates the permanent prosthesis.

At the final appointment the permanent bridge is tried in, checked for fit, shade, and bite, and then cemented in place once both the patient and clinician are satisfied with the result. Mild sensitivity or soreness after preparation is common and typically resolves as the tissues heal. Ongoing monitoring and regular professional cleanings help ensure the restoration continues to perform well over time.

An implant-supported bridge is a fixed restoration attached to two or more dental implants that act as artificial roots in the jaw. This option is recommended when preserving bone volume and avoiding alteration of healthy adjacent teeth are priorities. Because implants integrate with the bone, they provide robust support and can replace multiple teeth with fewer implants in certain situations.

The process includes surgical placement of implants, a healing period for osseointegration, and then attachment of the final bridge. While the overall treatment timeline is longer than a tooth-supported bridge, implant-supported solutions often offer superior long-term stability and help maintain jawbone health where natural roots are absent.

Dental bridges are commonly made from porcelain, porcelain fused to metal (PFM), or high-strength ceramics such as zirconia, each offering different balances of strength and aesthetics. Porcelain and ceramic materials provide excellent color matching to adjacent teeth and can be layered to mimic natural translucency. Metal-backed options may be chosen where extra strength is needed, particularly for posterior teeth bearing heavy chewing forces.

Shade selection is performed with careful color-matching under appropriate lighting and often uses digital tools and photography to achieve a seamless result. Labs fabricate bridges to closely replicate tooth form and texture, and your dentist will review materials and esthetic goals to recommend the most appropriate choice for durability and a natural appearance.

The lifespan of a dental bridge varies but many last 10 years or longer with proper care; some restorations function well for decades. Longevity depends on factors such as the condition of abutment teeth, quality of the restoration, oral hygiene practices, bite forces, and habits like grinding or chewing hard objects. Regular dental visits allow clinicians to monitor the bridge and surrounding tissues and address issues early.

Underlying problems such as decay or gum disease can compromise a bridge, so maintaining healthy gums and preventing caries on abutment teeth are critical. In some cases, repair or replacement may be needed due to wear, fracture, or changes in the supporting teeth, and timely professional attention helps protect both the restoration and overall oral health.

Daily oral hygiene for a bridge includes thorough brushing twice a day and cleaning beneath the pontic to remove plaque and food debris. Flossing with a floss threader, using interdental brushes, or employing a water flosser are effective methods to clean under and around the restoration. Keeping the surrounding gum tissue healthy reduces the risk of decay on abutment teeth and helps the bridge last longer.

Avoiding very hard or sticky foods that may stress the restoration helps prevent chipping or displacement. Maintain routine dental checkups and professional cleanings so your dentist can check fit, function, and tissue health and provide tailored preventive guidance. Promptly report any looseness, discomfort, or changes in bite so issues can be evaluated and managed early.

Potential risks include decay of the abutment teeth, gum inflammation, increased sensitivity after tooth preparation, and fracture or wear of the restoration. If the supporting teeth are weakened or become infected, root canal therapy or further restorative work may be required. Poor oral hygiene or untreated periodontal disease can undermine the foundation of a bridge and shorten its functional life.

Implant-supported bridges carry separate surgical considerations such as healing complications or implant failure, which are evaluated during treatment planning. Careful diagnosis, attention to oral health before placement, and routine follow-up reduce many risks and help ensure the best possible prognosis for the chosen restoration.

Dental bridges and implants are both reliable ways to restore missing teeth, but they differ in approach and long-term effects. Bridges are a faster, non-surgical option when adjacent teeth can support the restoration, while implants replace the tooth root and help preserve jawbone volume. Implants generally avoid altering neighboring teeth, whereas a tooth-supported bridge requires shaping the abutment teeth to receive crowns.

Deciding between a bridge, implants, or a removable partial denture depends on dental health, bone availability, aesthetic goals, and the patient’s treatment preferences. Your dentist will review the pros and cons of each option and recommend a plan that aligns with your oral health priorities and long-term expectations at Chadha & Co Dental.