Close Gaps in Your Smile with Functional and Natural-looking Dental Bridges
If you’re missing teeth, you don’t have to resign to the fate of living life with a “gappy” smile. At Southern Pine Dental in Dothan, Alabama, it’s possible to hide your unsightly gap with an effective, cost-effective dental technique called a dental bridge. Dr. Durwood A. Nowell expertly installs dental bridges to provide a secure, comfortable, and durable solution to missing teeth. Our dental bridges fit so flawlessly into your smile that no one will know you have ever suffered tooth loss.
What is a dental bridge?
A dental bridge simply closes the space created by missing teeth. A dental bridge consists of artificial teeth (pontic) secured by healthy teeth (abutments) on either side of the gap. The abutment teeth must be filed down to create room for a dental crown to secure your bridge.
However, some patients without healthy abutment teeth can benefit from implant bridges. These bridges are held in place by dental implants anchored in your jawbone. Implant bridges keep the neighboring teeth intact and preserve your jawbone by preventing bone loss.
The dental bridge procedure
Unlike implant-based restorations, a dental bridge can be installed within a few weeks. Your journey to a complete smile with a dental bridge starts with an initial consultation with Dr. Nowell. The first step is a comprehensive oral exam to assess your teeth, gums, and medical history to determine your eligibility for dental bridges. We also listen to your chief concerns, including treatment outcome, cost, and timeline, and break down all the details before proceeding with treatment.
Once aligned, we start with preparing your teeth. This procedure involves shaving down the adjacent teeth (abutment) to accommodate bridge-supporting dental crowns. Of course, we numb your gums with anesthesia to minimize discomfort during this procedure. After teeth preparation, we take your oral impressions and send the images to a dental lab to manufacture your bridge. Meanwhile, you’ll wear a temporary bridge to protect your prepped teeth.
After 2-3 weeks, your permanent bridge will be ready. Our dentist will remove your temporary restoration and clean your teeth again. You’ll try your new bridge to assess the fit, color, and contours. Once we are satisfied with your bridge, we will use dental cement to bond it in place. Before you leave, we’ll check the final fitting and remove excess dental cement to ensure your bite feels natural. That’s it! Now you’re free to share your beautiful smile with the world.
Welcome to Southern Pine Dental, where we specialize in restorative dentistry to help you reclaim your healthy smile.
Our comprehensive restorative dentistry services can address a range of dental issues, from cavities to gum disease.
Discover how our teeth-colored composite fillings can treat and protect your teeth while seamlessly blending in with your natural smile.
Find out how our porcelain crowns can restore damaged teeth, improving their strength, size, color, and shape without anyone knowing you’ve had dental work done.
Learn how our natural-looking dental bridges can fill the gaps left by missing teeth, enhancing your chewing ability and preventing surrounding teeth from shifting.
Explore the benefits of dental implants, the gold standard for tooth replacement. They provide a permanent solution to tooth loss and restore both aesthetics and function.
Discover our periodontal treatments designed to restore diseased gums to full health, ensuring the longevity of your smile.
All provided by Dr. Pfister, Dr. Nowell, and myself, Dr. Bell. with more than 17 years of combined experience delivering restorative dental care.
Here from our satisfied patients as they share the transformative effects of our restorative dentistry services
We are located just behind the medical center in Dothan at 2001 Alexander Drive for patients in the Wiregrass region.
If you’re ready to reclaim your healthy smile, call (334) 686-0843 to schedule an appointment today!
Benefits of dental bridges
Our dental team uses high-performance and natural-looking materials to ensure your bridge adds optimal function and aesthetics to your smile. The many benefits of dental bridges include the following:
- Eliminate mouth gaps to enhance your speaking, smiling, and eating ability
- Easy maintenance
- Renewed confidence
- Natural-looking
- Prevent nearby teeth from shifting into the toothless space
- Long-lasting
- A swift solution to missing teeth — no surgery and months of waiting
With dental bridges from Southern Pine Dental, your unsightly gaps become a thing of the past. A dental bridge completes your smile and restores your oral function to help you speak confidently and eat the foods you love. To get started, please dial (334) 794-0348 to discuss dental bridges with Dr. Durwood A. Nowell.
