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Dental Bridges

Missing teeth can damage neighboring teeth or cause them to shift out of place.

Sonoran Dental Design in Scottsdale, AZ, can restore your smile and protect your dental health with natural-looking dental bridges.

Dr. Ann Sielicki, a noted cosmetic dentist, tailors treatment to your needs by offering both traditional and implant-supported bridges.

Dr. Sielicki Discusses Dental Bridges For Transparent Care from Start to Finish

At Sonoran Dental Design in Scottsdale, AZ, we can help patients with missing teeth restore their smiles with dental bridges. Bridges use pontics, or natural-looking false teeth, to fill smile gaps. They can be supported by neighboring natural teeth (abutment teeth) or by dental implants. As a fixed alternative to partial dentures, they allow our patients more freedom and peace of mind.

The Traditional Dental
Bridge Treatment Timeline

Traditional porcelain dental bridges can restore your smile quickly. Dr. Sielicki can typically prepare your teeth and place the dental bridge in just two office visits. The procedure generally follows along these lines:

We offer sedation so you can get the dental care you need comfortably and efficiently.
 
We offer sedation so you can get the dental care you need comfortably and efficiently.
 

Consultation

Our dentist will examine your neighboring teeth, or abutment teeth, to determine if they can support a bridge. If the neighboring teeth are too fragile, she may recommend an implant-supported bridge. She will also determine if there are any other dental problems that need treatment, such as gum disease, before a dental bridge is placed.

Patient Comfort

She uses an advanced injection system that allows her to numb the gums and treatment area quickly and painlessly. Sedation is also available.

Preparing the Teeth

The next step is for the dentist to carefully reshape the teeth on either side of the gap to anchor the bridge. 

Impressions

Instead of goopy dental material, she will use a sophisticated intraoral scanner to capture a precise impression of your gums and reshaped teeth. This critical step will ensure your bridge fits comfortably and aligns with each tooth and your current bite. She will design your bridge and pontics, sending the information to our trusted lab for fabrication. Bridges (and dental crowns) can also be made quicker on-site with our CEREC machine.

Temporary Bridge

Our first goal is your comfort and happiness. We'll make sure that you leave our Scottsdale dental office with a smile. While your bridge is fabricated, our dentist will place a temporary bridge over your prepared teeth. 

Placement

After your bridge has been fabricated, which takes about two weeks unless using CEREC, you can return to our Scottsdale, AZ, practice so that she can place it. After any final adjustments have been made and the bridge fits ideally, it will be securely cemented in place.

Have Questions?

We Offer Two Types Of Dental Bridges

A dental bridge replaces one to four consecutive teeth. It typically consists of a false tooth or teeth (called pontics) anchored by dental crowns on either side of the pontic for support. Advances in dentistry provide patients with two options for securing a bridge:
Illustration of traditional bridge

Traditional Bridge

A traditional bridge is held in place by nearby teeth on either side of the gap, which are reshaped to support the dental crowns. This method has been used to replace missing teeth for decades. However, due to the strain on the natural teeth, only so many teeth can be replaced with the bridge and pontics. Generally, the maximum number of teeth that can be replaced is four.

Illustration of implant-supported dental bridge

Implant-Supported Bridge

Implant-supported bridges are held in place by dental implants, small posts that act like tooth roots and are surgically inserted into the jaw. Since the implants need time to fuse with the jawbone, this method takes longer, but implants can last decades or even a lifetime. Only the bridge itself will need to periodically be replaced. Implants can also support more teeth in a bridge. 

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Interested in an
Implant-Supported Bridge?

The timeline for an implant-supported bridge is longer than that of a traditional bridge, but many patients appreciate the bone-regenerating health benefits that only implant-supported options can offer.

Implants are also versatile when it comes to replacing missing teeth. For patients missing only one tooth, they won't need a bridge at all, since a dental implant can be topped by a single dental crown. If you are missing several teeth in a row, dental implants might be the preferred solution, since implants can support longer stretches of teeth than traditional bridges.

We Make Dental Patients Feel Welcome and Understood

1

William Bacon

Scottsdale, AZ

2023

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I arrived early and was taken right in. Dental assistant was great and prepared me for the dentist. Dentist was very good and I would come here again! I am a snowbird from Canada but I would pick these folks as my regular dental care group. They are that good.

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1

Eric Hanshew

Scottsdale, AZ

2023

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I've been a patient with Dr. Sielicki for 22 years and my teeth are in awesome shape! It is wonderful to find a practice with consistent and caring staff.

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Dr. Ann Sielicki

Sonoran Dental Design

Sonoran Dental Design is a high-tech dental practice in Scottsdale, AZ, that prioritizes patient care and comfort. Dr. Ann Sielicki is a dentist who is highly trained and committed to continued education. Dr. Sielicki is affiliated with:

  • The American Dental Association
  • The Arizona Dental Association
  • The Central Arizona Dental Association
  • Spear Education's Advanced Continuum (Visiting Faculty Club Member)
  • Seattle Study Club (Participating Member)

We invite you to request an appointment with our practice by filling out our online form or calling (480) 419-9595.

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