Dental Bridges in Pine Beach, NJ

Dr. Medlenov examines the gap and the teeth on either side of it, takes images, and confirms that the supporting teeth are healthy enough to carry a restoration. Those abutment teeth are then shaped so that dental crowns can fit over them. We record impressions or a digital scan, choose a shade that matches your surrounding teeth, and fit a temporary bridge so you can eat and speak while the permanent one is made.

A dental implant replaces the root of the tooth and stands on its own, so the neighboring teeth are left untouched. It requires enough healthy bone and a longer overall timeline. A bridge does not involve surgery and is usually finished sooner, but it relies on the two adjacent teeth for support and means reshaping them. If those teeth already need crowns, a bridge often makes practical sense.

The artificial tooth sits against the gum rather than in it, so floss cannot pass between the units the way it does between natural teeth. A floss threader, superfloss or a water flosser lets you clean along the underside of the bridge and around each supporting crown. Plaque left in that space is the most common reason a bridge eventually fails, because it leads to decay or gum problems in the abutment teeth.

Grinding and clenching put heavy load on the supporting teeth. If you grind at night, ask us about a nightguard. Chewing ice or opening packaging with your teeth risks chipping the porcelain. Skipping routine exams and cleanings allows small problems around the margins to go unnoticed until they are harder to treat.

Century Dental East serves patients from Pine Beach, Beachwood, Toms River and the surrounding Ocean County communities from our office at 241 Washington Avenue. If you are weighing a bridge against other ways to replace a missing tooth, a consultation is the fastest way to find out which options your mouth can actually support.