A dental bridge is a fixed replacement for one or more missing teeth: a false tooth held in place by crowns on the teeth beside the gap. Redondo Beach Dental Group makes dental bridges in Redondo Beach, a short drive from Torrance, Lawndale, Hermosa Beach and Manhattan Beach.
A bridge is cemented in place, so you do not take it out at night the way you would a denture. Call (310) 542-6988 to find out whether a bridge suits the gap you have.
How a Dental Bridge Works
A traditional bridge is one solid piece made of joined parts. The false tooth in the middle, called a pontic, fills the gap. On each side, a dental crown fits over the neighboring tooth, which dentists call an abutment. Those two teeth carry the chewing load for the missing one.
Filling the gap matters even when it is at the back of the mouth. Teeth next to an empty space tend to tip or drift into it, and the tooth above or below it can grow down into the gap. Over time that shifting can change your bite.
Types of Dental Bridges
Dentistry uses four main bridge designs. Which one fits depends on where the gap is and the state of the teeth around it.
- A traditional bridge is held by crowns on the teeth on both sides of the gap. It is the design most people are offered.
- A cantilever bridge is held on one side only, for a gap with a sound tooth on just one side.
- A resin-bonded bridge, often called a Maryland bridge, attaches to the back of the neighboring teeth with small wings, so those teeth need far less reshaping. It is usually used for front teeth, where biting force is lower.
- An implant-supported bridge is held by implants instead of natural teeth, which can replace three or more teeth in a row without touching the teeth beside them.
Your dentist will explain which design suits your gap after an exam and X-rays.
The Bridge Process, Step by Step
A traditional bridge usually takes two visits.
- At the first visit, the abutment teeth are numbed and reshaped so crowns can fit over them. A record of the teeth and your bite is taken, and a temporary bridge protects the prepared teeth.
- Your bridge is made to match the shape and shade of your other teeth.
- At the second visit, the temporary comes off, and the fit, bite and color of the finished bridge are checked before it is cemented in place.
If an abutment tooth has deep decay or an infected nerve, it may need root canal treatment before it can safely carry a bridge. Gum disease near the gap should also be treated first.
The Downsides of a Dental Bridge
A bridge is a reliable, well-tested treatment, and it still has trade-offs worth knowing before you choose it.
- The teeth on each side are reshaped for crowns, and that enamel does not grow back. If those teeth are healthy and unfilled, that is a real cost.
- Decay can start at the edge where a crown meets the tooth, and plaque collects under the false tooth. Both need daily cleaning.
- A bridge sits on top of the gum, so it does nothing for the bone under the gap, which slowly shrinks over the years.
- Because the parts are joined, a problem with one abutment tooth usually means the whole bridge has to be replaced.
How Long a Bridge Lasts
Bridges have a long track record. A 2004 systematic review in Clinical Oral Implants Research estimated that about 89% of conventional bridges were still in place after 10 years. Problems the reviewers recorded included decay under the crowns, the bridge coming loose, loss of tooth vitality, and fractures of an abutment tooth or of the bridge material. How long yours lasts depends heavily on cleaning, checkups and whether you grind your teeth at night.
Bridge, Implant or Partial Denture
A bridge is often the sensible choice when the teeth beside the gap already have large fillings or need crowns anyway, because the same work that protects them also replaces the missing tooth. It is also quicker than an implant and involves no surgery.
When the neighboring teeth are healthy, a dental implant replaces the tooth without touching them and puts load back on the bone, though it takes months to finish and costs more up front. A removable partial denture costs the least and also leaves the teeth largely alone, but it can feel less stable. When most or all of the teeth in an arch are missing, a bridge is usually no longer the right tool, and dentures become part of the conversation.
All of these are forms of restorative dentistry, so your dentist can compare a bridge, an implant and a removable option for the same gap at one exam.
Caring for Your Bridge
- Brush twice a day, paying attention to where each crown meets the gum
- Clean under the false tooth every day with a floss threader, bridge floss or a small interdental brush
- Expect the abutment teeth to feel sensitive to cold for a short time after the bridge is fitted
- Avoid chewing ice or very hard foods, which can chip the bridge as easily as a natural tooth
- Keep regular checkups and cleanings, so decay at the crown edges is caught early
Who You Will See
Dr. Moshe Eizdi leads care at Redondo Beach Dental Group. He earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree at the University of Southern California, where he graduated with honors, and his work covers cosmetic and restorative dentistry, including implant restorations.
What a Dental Bridge Costs
The cost of a dental bridge depends on how many teeth it spans, the design, the material, and whether the abutment teeth need a filling, build-up or root canal first. A resin-bonded bridge and a long implant-supported bridge sit at very different points, so a fair number comes only after an exam. Ask for an estimate before treatment starts.
Dental plans usually class a bridge as major restorative work, which many plans cover at a lower share than basic care, within an annual maximum. We accept PPO plans; ask us how your plan applies to this treatment. For the remaining balance, we offer payment plans through Cherry, CareCredit and LendingClub, plus an in-office plan for patients without insurance.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a dental bridge cost in California?
The cost of a dental bridge in California depends on how many teeth it replaces, the design and material, and whether the supporting teeth need other treatment first. Because those vary from mouth to mouth, the reliable figure comes from an estimate after an exam.
What is the downside of a dental bridge?
The main downside of a dental bridge is that the teeth on each side of the gap are reshaped to hold crowns, and that enamel is gone for good. A bridge also needs daily cleaning underneath, does not preserve the bone under the gap, and usually has to be replaced as a whole if one supporting tooth fails.
How many years will a dental bridge last?
A dental bridge often lasts 10 years or more. A 2004 systematic review estimated that about 89% of conventional bridges were still in place after 10 years. Daily cleaning, regular checkups and protecting the bridge from grinding all help it last.
What is a cheaper alternative to a dental bridge?
A removable partial denture is usually the cheaper alternative to a dental bridge. It clips onto the remaining teeth and needs little or no reshaping of them, but it can feel less secure and needs to come out for cleaning.
What can I get instead of a bridge?
Instead of a bridge, a missing tooth can be replaced with a dental implant or a removable partial denture, or in some cases left as it is after an exam shows the gap will not cause shifting. Each option has different costs, timelines and effects on the neighboring teeth.
Do dentists do bridges anymore?
Dentists still make bridges, and they remain a standard way to replace missing teeth. Implants are offered more often than they once were, but a bridge is still a good fit when the teeth beside the gap need crowns anyway or when implant surgery is not a good option.
Is a bridge covered by insurance?
A dental bridge is often partly covered by insurance, usually as a major restorative procedure. How much a plan pays depends on its coverage level, waiting periods and annual maximum, and some plans limit replacing a tooth that was missing before coverage began. Ask us how your plan applies to this treatment.
Book a Dental Bridge Consultation in Redondo Beach
Redondo Beach Dental Group is at 2511 Artesia Blvd, Redondo Beach, CA 90278. We are open Monday 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Tuesday 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Wednesday through Friday 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Call (310) 542-6988 or request an appointment online.