Restore your signature, uniquely brilliant smile with dental bridges for tooth replacement

Signature or attractively distinctive smiles are made, not born. Yes, genetics can play a role in each patient’s risk of developing conditions such as advanced gum disease. However, even those whose families were blessed with great teeth cannot allow their oral hygiene to go on auto-pilot. Among those who have encountered new challenges to their oral health, we can make over their damaged teeth at Signature Smiles Dental in Riverside, California.

We do so with highly durable dental materials, such as porcelain. This dental ceramic may be used to build up a decayed tooth during the crowns process. Or bridges can be made from porcelain to replace the entire part of the tooth visible above the gum line: the natural crown. Dental bridges are appropriate for patients whose teeth cannot be preserved with root canal therapy or those with a tooth that has failed to heal following root canal treatment or other endodontic procedures. Additionally, bridges can be used to restore healthy function and confidence by restoring a complete, attractive smile among those patients who have gaps in their smiles following dental extractions or the loss of a tooth to decay, gum disease, or other trauma.

The beauty and strength of porcelain

Porcelain is a coveted dental material for many different reasons, including:

It is hypoallergenic, appropriate for individuals with sensitivities to metals.
It mimics natural enamel well, down to properties such as how light bounces off the ceramic.
Modern products are incredibly durable and robust. So, you don’t have to sacrifice the lasting stability of a tooth for a material that is lifelike in its appearance. You can have the best of both worlds!

Additionally, porcelain does not irritate and inflame surrounding gums and tissues.

The process

Candidates for porcelain dental bridges may be missing one tooth, a few teeth, or a grouping of teeth. In its most basic form, the bridge consists of a replacement tooth called a pontic. The pontic is shaped from dental porcelain. This new tooth is then fused to a dental crown. The crown or shell of a tooth placed on top of the prepared tooth structure is made from impressions or molds of the teeth next to the pontic or space where a tooth used to be. These teeth are called anchor teeth or abutments, and they are designed to hold up and support the pontic. The crowns are placed over each abutment on either side of the pontic. The anchor teeth are also slightly reduced in size and shape. So, the crown fits nicely on top of them. Once the crowns are placed, the attached pontic fills in the space between the abutment teeth.

These fixed dental bridges can last a long time, as long as care is taken to clean consistently and correctly underneath the bridge. Also, we are happy to discuss alternatives to conventional bridges, such as bridges supported by dental implants placed in the jawbone—Call (951) 777-2805 to schedule your appointment with our trusted dentists, Dr. Geomel Brian Bebing and Dr. Harun Ayouby.