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Expected Costs Involved with a Dental Bridge

When a tooth or teeth are missing, it can be difficult to smile without feeling self-conscious. Missing a tooth or teeth can also affect the bite, the surrounding teeth and even the jawbone. Because of this, it’s extremely important to have a gap in the teeth where a tooth is missing filled as soon as possible. An excellent solution for filling the gap where a tooth is missing is a dental bridge.

What Is a Dental Bridge?

A dental bridge is a dental appliance that fills the gap where one or more teeth are missing. This is generally done with two abutments being placed over the surrounding healthy teeth to hold the pontic (false tooth in place). There are other options as well, such as the Maryland bridge and cantilever bridge that involve a similar, but different placement process. All three types of bridges help to fill the gap in the teeth, though, and protect a patient’s oral health.

Why Would I Need a Bridge?

If a tooth falls out, is knocked out or needs to be removed, the gap cannot be left uncared for. When there is a gap in the teeth, the surrounding teeth can migrate to fill the space. This can lead to not only an uneven smile, but also an increased risk for tooth decay and gum disease. A missing tooth or teeth can also compromise the integrity of the jawbone, leading to bone loss that can actually change the appearance of the jaw. Finally, a missing tooth or teeth is not aesthetically pleasing.

Costs of a Dental Bridge

When having a bridge placed, there are a few different factors that you’ll want to consider when it comes to cost. These factors can affect the overall price of the bridge. Some of these factors include:

  • The amount of work that needs to be done on the tooth or teeth in which the abutment or abutments are being placed.
  • The location of the dentist.
  • Your insurance coverage.
  • The type of material used for the bridge.
  • Other procedures that may need to be completed.

With all of this in mind, the average cost of a dental bridge is around $700-$1,500 per tooth. While this may sound high at first, it’s important to consider the massive costs that will come with not fixing the gap where a tooth or teeth are missing. Tooth decay, gum disease, loss of jaw bone tissue, tooth migration—all of these issues cost money to treat. It’s better to avoid the costs associated with treating a variety of different oral health issues by having one oral health issue taken care of.

Am I a Candidate?

In order to see if a dental bridge is the right choice for your needs, you’ll want to visit your dentist. There, they will discuss different tooth replacement options with you. If they decide bridges are the best choice, they will walk you through the placement procedure. From there, you can set an appointment with your dentist to get the dental placement procedure started.

Dr. Lois Lee and the team at Meadowdale Dental Clinic in Lynnwood, WA are highly skilled and experienced with dental bridges. Contact their team today to find out more information on how to get started!

If you're looking for more information on dental bridges, here's some additional information on the different types of dental bridges.