Dental Bridges in Wilkes-Barre, PA

Missing teeth can be a significant stressor in your life that prevents you from eating, speaking, and smiling with confidence. Dental bridges provide an excellent solution for filling the gap in your smile. Our skilled team here at Mint Mini Dental Implants, led by the renowned John P. Coolican, DMD, FAGD, is committed to replacing your missing teeth quickly and affordably so you can continue to enjoy your favorite foods and activities for years to come.

Dental Bridges: Bridging the Gap in Your Smile

A dental bridge is a type of restorative dental treatment that uses artificial teeth to fill the gap left by one or more missing teeth. Bridges play a crucial role in oral health, including:

Filling the empty space left by a missing tooth: With a dental bridge, you regain a complete, functional smile, enhancing your ability to chew and speak effectively.
Preventing movement and shifting of teeth: When a tooth is missing, the remaining teeth can shift into the empty space, leading to a misalignment. A dental bridge keeps the rest of your teeth in place, maintaining the integrity of your bite.
Providing a permanent alternative to a removable partial denture: Dental bridges are fixed into place, offering a reliable and more comfortable solution to missing teeth compared to removable dentures.

Mini Dental Implants: Revolutionizing Dental Bridges

At Mint Mini Dental Implants, we pride ourselves on our innovative approach to dentistry. We use mini dental implants to secure dental bridges, offering multiple advantages over conventional dental implants:

Less invasive surgery: The procedure to place mini dental implants is less invasive, making it more comfortable for our patients.
Shorter recovery times: Due to the smaller size and less invasive procedure, recovery times are significantly shorter with mini dental implants.
Immediate results: Mini dental implants allow for immediate placement of crowns and dental bridges, meaning you can enjoy your new smile right away.
Preserve bone and prevent decay: By acting as the root of the tooth, mini dental implants stimulate the jawbone, preventing bone loss.
Cost-effective: Mini dental implants offer an affordable alternative to traditional implants, costing nearly half as much.
Versatile: Mini dental implants can replace a single tooth, multiple teeth, or all your teeth in just one office visit.

At Mint Mini Dental Implants, we can provide you with additional support to anchor and stabilize your dental bridge.

Types of Dental Bridges

There are different types of dental bridges to help you achieve a seamless smile. The bridge that is best for you depends on your particular situation, but all bridges rely on healthy natural teeth for support. During your free consultation, we will assess your specific needs to determine if you are a good candidate for dental bridges.

Traditional Dental Bridge

When there are healthy teeth on either side of the gap, we can utilize a traditional dental bridge—the most common type of bridge. The bridge, or row of teeth, consists of two crowns on either side of a prosthetic tooth. The crowns attach to the natural teeth that surround the gap. Because the crown is supported by crowns on two healthy teeth, the traditional bridge provides the most strength.

Cantilever Bridge

The cantilever bridge is used when there is just one healthy tooth next to the gap. While similar to a traditional bridge in its construction, the cantilever bridge is supported by one tooth. As a result, this single natural tooth has to withstand the pressure exerted when you bite. However, a mini dental implant can help to strengthen a bridge: a 2010 study found a profound success rate for implant-supported bridges replacing one tooth.

Maryland Bonded Bridge

A Maryland bonded bridge, also known as a resin-bonded bridge, is a more conservative solution used primarily to replace front teeth. These dental bridges support an artificial tooth using metal or porcelain wings that attach to the back of neighboring teeth. Unlike traditional and cantilever bridges, this method does not require us to remove healthy enamel to fit a crown. This makes a Maryland bonded bridge appropriate for children and teenagers who are still growing but need to replace a missing front tooth.

How Are Dental Bridges Attached?

Attaching a dental bridge is a simple and minimally invasive procedure. If a traditional or cantilever bridge is right for you, the procedure requires two appointments after your initial consultation.

At your first appointment, your natural teeth need to be reshaped to fit the crown that will rest on top of them. Dr. Coolican will also take impressions and design a model of your teeth. Your new restoration will be created in a dental lab which takes approximately two weeks. Dr. Coolican will fit you with a protective, temporary bridge as you wait for your beautiful and natural-looking bridge to be customized.

At your second appointment, your bridge will be placed and adjusted to fit you perfectly. You’ll leave the office with functional teeth and a brilliant smile.

If you need mini dental implants to support your bridge, Dr. Coolican will place the implant first and then add the bridge. With an implant-supported bridge, you’ll have a permanent and durable solution to your missing teeth.

When Can I Return to Work and Other Daily Activities?

Dental bridges are a quick and reliable solution to mending your smile, allowing you to return to work and resume daily activities shortly after your bridge is placed.

As you adjust to your new bridge over the first few days, you might experience some soreness, sensitivity to hot or cold foods, or the feeling that your bite is off. Applying ice and taking over-the-counter pain medications like ibuprofen can provide relief from discomfort. Full recovery only takes a couple of weeks.

How Long Do Dental Bridges Last?

An advantage of dental bridges is their durability. To enable your bridge to last 15 years or more, you should:

Brush twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste and soft-bristle brush, and floss daily to remove bacteria.

Clean underneath the bridge to prevent plaque buildup. We recommend using dental picks, floss threaders, or interdental brushes to remove food remnants.

Schedule routine checkups with Dr. Coolican.

Following dentist-recommended oral hygiene guidelines and maintaining routine checkups will allow your dental bridge to last for many years.

Can I Afford Dental Bridges?

At Mint Mini Dental Implants, we believe that everyone deserves a beautiful smile. That’s why we offer flexible financing options with Ally, Lending Club, and CareCredit. Our range of payment plans, including 0% introductory rates, allows you to get the necessary treatment now and spread payments over time to suit your budget.

Are Dental Bridges Right for You?

Don’t let missing teeth hold you back from enjoying the quality of life you deserve. At Mint Mini Dental Implants, we’re ready to help you bridge the gap to a brighter, healthier smile. With Dr. Coolican’s expertise in dental bridges and mini dental implants, we’ll personalize a treatment plan for your missing teeth. Schedule your free consultation today and take the first step on your journey to optimal oral health.