If you are contending with missing teeth, odds are that a dental bridge is high on your consideration set. Similar to implants, these act as a permanent solution for missing teeth. As its name suggests, a dental bridge acts as a bridge between your natural teeth. It is typically made of crowns on either side of the missing tooth, which supports the false tooth that is cemented in place. To get a dental bridge, therefore, you need healthy teeth on either side of the missing tooth/teeth.
A typical dental bridge has:
- Abutment teeth
Crowns are placed on the teeth on either side that work as the anchoring teeth. - Pontics
This refers to the false tooth that fills in the gap and attaches to the crowns.
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Why do I need a dental bridge?
With a missing tooth you face multiple issues, including the fact that there is a chance that the neighboring teeth start to shift. This leads to a number of issues such as:
- Biting and chewing issues.
- Pain.
- You could feel self-conscious about your smile.
The advantages offered by dental bridges include:
- Ensuring you can chew properly.
- Making sure that the natural shape of your face is restored.
- Ensuring that the remaining teeth do not move in the space created by the missing teeth.
- Ensuring that there isn’t uneven stress on the bite.
- They are less invasive compared to an implant.
- Restoring your beautiful smile.
Does everyone qualify for a dental bridge?
While a dental bridge is a popular option for people with missing teeth, there are a number of factors to consider in order to determine whether a bridge will work for you or not.
These include:
- The number of missing teeth.
- Are the adjoining teeth strong enough to support the dental bridge?
- Do you have good oral health? Do you practice good oral hygiene?
- Do you suffer from some health conditions such as diabetes, cancer or certain autoimmune diseases?
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It is by looking at your overall health history that your dentist can advise you if a dental bridge is indeed the right option for you.
Having answered some basic questions about a Dental Bridge, let us get to issue at hand and analyze the cost involved.
How much does a dental bridge cost without insurance?
Let us first look at some of the factors on which the cost of a bridge depends:
- The kind of bridge that is required.
- The material it is made of.
- Complexity of placement.
1. Cost of each type of dental bridges
Type 1 – Maryland Dental Bridges
The big advantage with these bridges is that there is little need to shave enamel from the natural or abutment teeth when these bridges are being attached. In such bridges metal or porcelain frameworks are used.
The average cost of such bridges is between $1,500 to $2,500 for one false tooth.
Type 2 – Cantilever Dental Bridges
They require just one crown on an adjacent tooth to hold the artificial tooth. So, while one tooth is required to be a natural tooth, the other adjacent tooth could even be an implant.
The average cost of such bridges is between $2,000 and $5,000 for one false tooth.
Type 3 – Traditional Bridges
These involve one false tooth that is anchored by crowns on two adjacent teeth. These therefore work best when you have natural teeth on both sides of a missing tooth.
The average cost of such bridges is between $2,000 and $5,000 for one false tooth.
Type 4 – Implant-supported dental bridges
While these are similar to traditional bridges, they differ in the fact that these aren’t supported by crowns placed on adjacent teeth. Instead, they attach to small titanium posts which, in turn, are embedded in the jaw.
The average cost of such bridges is between $5,000 and $15,000 for one three or four teeth supported by two dental implants.
2. Materials used
Commonly used materials for dental bridges are porcelain & zirconium. These are known for the following:
- Natural looking appearance.
- Durability.
- Strength.
Other common choice of material for dental bridges includes metal alloys. Some of the commonly used metal alloys include:
- Nickel
- Chromium
- Palladium
- Gold
However, on account of their metallic appearance, they are often preferred for the back of the mouth where visibility is low.
Additionally, dental bridges could be made of composite or resin too. However, these aren’t widely preferred on account of the fact that they are prone to fractures.
You could also opt for bridges that are made of porcelain that is fused with metal or zirconium.
3. Complexity of placement
Another determinant of the cost is the dental fee, which in turn could depend on a number of factors, including how easy or difficult it is to fit the bridge. Additionally, the cost of dental bridges could go up if you have to avail of services such as any tooth extraction. Also, if you need bone grafting for implant-supported bridges, the cost is even higher.
The skill and expertise as well as the location of the dentist also have an implication on the cost.
How much does a dental bridge cost with insurance?
While most dental insurance companies may claim that they cover 50% of your dental bridge costs, the fact is that if you get into the details the actual coverage may be far less. A lot of it has to do with the associated costs and your annual maximum.
Associated costs in dental bridge
What you need to consider when taking into account the overall price of a dental bridge is also the cost of associated procedures such as an oral exam, tooth x-rays, tooth extraction, cleaning, and more. These associated costs add towards reaching the yearly maximum. You may, therefore, need to pay a significant amount of out-of-pocket expenses.
Other Options
Alternately, you could opt for dental savings plans that may cover up to 50% of the cost without any deductibles. However, here too, you will need to carefully assess whether the savings plan that you have chosen covers only basics or if it also covers the cost of dental bridges and any other restorative procedures.
To sum up
Being a cheaper as well as a less invasive treatment as opposed to implants, the use of dental bridges is widespread.
You can contact us at office@dentaloasispleasanton.com to know more about our dental bridge cost. We accept many dental insurances; to get the detailed information regarding cost, you can schedule a dental appointment too.