What are the Limitations of a Dental Bridge?

With so many ways to restore missing teeth, there’s no excuse for people to go without teeth! Highland Dental Clinic offers numerous restorative treatments to rebuild your broken smile. One popular option to replace multiple lost teeth is a fixed dental bridge. Understanding the pros and cons of this treatment can help you decide if it’s a good fit for you. Your South Lakeland, Florida dentist, Dr. Blanca Fernandez, explains more about the benefits and limitations of this treatment.

About Dental Bridges

Multiple tooth loss leaves a large gap in your smile and can lead to oral health problems later on. The sooner your teeth are restored, the sooner your life can get back to normal. Dental bridges offer a quick, effective means of replacing multiple lost teeth to restore your smile’s functionality and esthetics. A front four-tooth bridge will complete your smile naturally and enhance your overall appearance.

A fixed bridge is two to four artificial teeth created to replace missing teeth. These artificial teeth are supported by dental crowns placed on healthy natural teeth on either side of the bridge. A custom bridge will closely resemble your natural teeth in size, color, and shape to blend naturally with your smile. Fixed bridges are permanent restorations that offer greater stability than dentures for biting and chewing. They fill the gaps left by missing teeth to keep surrounding natural teeth from shifting. Dr. Fernandez and our team can complete your bridge treatment in as little as two dental visits at a fraction of the cost of getting implants. 

However, despite its benefits, this treatment also has limitations. 

What are the limitations of a dental bridge?

1. Shorter lifespan – Compared to implants, which can last 20 to 30 years, dental bridges have a much shorter lifespan, on average between 7 and 10 years, before needing to be replaced.
2. Dependency on adjacent teeth – A fixed dental bridge depends on healthy adjacent teeth for support. These teeth need to be modified for crown placement to support the bridge. Implants and dentures are stand-alone treatments – they don’t require support from natural teeth to restore your smile. 
3. Don’t prevent bone loss – Tooth loss causes bone loss, as there are no tooth roots to stimulate the growth of bone tissue. Dental bridges replace your lost teeth, but not their roots. Therefore, bridges can’t prevent bone loss. Implants are the only restorations that replace your teeth and their roots to keep your jawbone from deteriorating. 

Despite their limitations, dental bridges provide a practical, functional option for many people to replace lost teeth. Dr. Fernandez and our team will assess your situation and recommend the most suitable restorative treatment for your dental needs.

Dental Bridge Treatment Near Me

To learn more about the benefits and options of fixed dental bridges, contact Dr. Blanca Fernandez from Highland Dental Clinic in South Lakeland, FL, at (863) 457-1954.

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