Fixed Bridges

Fixed bridges provide a sturdier alternative to custom dentures. They attach to dental implants, allowing them to function like your natural teeth. At Custom Dentures, Alex Riabhov, LD, CPD, Shahin Dabestani, DMD, and the team specialize in placing All-on-4® fixed bridges. The procedure is quick and effective, restoring your smile and oral health. Call the office in Phoenix or Sun City West, Arizona, to schedule a fixed bridge consultation, or request an appointment online today.

What are fixed bridges?

All-on-4® fixed bridges replace all of the natural teeth in your upper or lower arch. Unlike standard dental implants, you don’t need one implant for each missing tooth. Instead, your Custom Dentures provider inserts four small metal posts into strategic positions in your upper or lower jaw. The metal posts fuse with your bone after placement, providing an anchor for the fixed bridge.

Since fixed bridges attach to dental implants, they don’t slip or change position like dentures. You don’t need to remove them at night, either. Instead, you treat them like your natural teeth by brushing and flossing daily.

What are the advantages of fixed bridges?

Fixed bridges provide various advantages, including:

• Easier biting and chewing
• Clearer speech
• A beautiful smile
• Increased comfort

Fixed bridges reduce your risk of more serious oral health problems like bone loss. Replacing missing teeth with a fixed bridge keeps your gums and jaw bones healthy.

How do I prepare for a fixed bridge?

Before recommending a fixed bridge, your Custom Dentures provider completes an oral exam and takes dental X-rays. 

If you have healthy gums and enough bone to support denture implants, your provider takes digital impressions of your mouth. They share your impressions with the onsite dental lab. The denture technicians use the impressions to make a fixed bridge specifically for you.

Once your fixed bridge is ready, the team schedules a dental implant placement procedure to complete treatment.

What does a fixed bridge procedure involve?

A fixed bridge procedure takes 60-90 minutes. Your Custom Dentures provider numbs your mouth with a local anesthetic and inserts four dental implants into your upper or lower jaw. If you’re getting two fixed bridges, your provider places eight implants in total.

The implants for fixed bridges are immediate load, meaning they immediately fuse with your bone. After placing the implants, your provider attaches your fixed bridge on top. The bridge replaces your missing teeth, restoring your smile. 

The team provides recovery instructions and explains how to keep your fixed bridge in good shape.

How long do fixed bridges last?

Fixed bridges last 12-15 years on average, but they often last longer with preventive care. Visit your dentist regularly for oral exams and teeth cleaning, and avoid bad habits like nail-biting and chewing on ice. If you notice the fit of your fixed bridge changing, contact Custom Dentures.

Call the nearest Custom Dentures office to schedule a fixed bridge consultation, or book your appointment online today. 

*Results may vary.