Reviewed by Dr. Nicole M. Berger, DDS — South Florida Smile Spa, Pompano Beach, FL
A dental bridge in Pompano Beach is one of three ways South Florida Smile Spa replaces a missing tooth, and the right one for a particular patient depends on the teeth on either side of the gap, the bone beneath it, and how soon the space needs to be filled. A bridge is a row of connected porcelain crowns: the crowns at each end sit on the neighboring teeth and the tooth-shaped unit in the middle spans the gap, fixed in place and cleaned like your own teeth. Dr. Nicole M. Berger designs and places bridges from a digital scan, often with the temporary made the same day, and is equally candid about when an implant is the better answer. This page explains the bridge types, how a bridge compares with an implant and a partial denture, the process, how long bridges last and how to care for one.
Quick answer
A dental bridge replaces one or more missing teeth with a fixed row of crowns: the teeth on each side of the gap are shaped and crowned, and a false tooth (a pontic) is joined between them, so the whole unit is cemented in place and cannot be removed. It restores chewing, keeps the neighboring teeth from drifting and fills the gap in the smile, usually in two visits over two to three weeks, and lasts ten to fifteen years or more. At South Florida Smile Spa in Pompano Beach, Dr. Berger makes bridges from an iTero digital scan in zirconia or layered porcelain, and recommends a bridge when the neighboring teeth already need crowns, when an implant is not possible, or when the space must be filled quickly; when the neighboring teeth are healthy and the bone is good, a single implant is usually recommended instead because it does not involve cutting down the adjacent teeth.
Bridge Types
Dental bridge in Pompano Beach: the types and when each is used
All bridges do the same job, but the way they attach and what they are made of change the amount of tooth prepared, the strength and the look.
- Traditional bridge. Crowns on the teeth either side of the gap with one or more pontics between them; the standard for a missing back tooth or a front tooth between two teeth that already need crowns.
- Implant-supported bridge. Two or more implants carry a bridge across a longer span with no natural teeth involved, the best answer for three or four missing teeth in a row; see our implant restorations page.
- Cantilever bridge. Anchored on one side only, used sparingly for a small front tooth where there is only one neighbor to support it.
- Maryland (resin-bonded) bridge. A pontic with thin wings bonded to the backs of the neighboring teeth, with almost no tooth preparation; a conservative choice for a missing lower front tooth or a young patient waiting for an implant.
- Zirconia. Monolithic zirconia bridges are the strongest option and the usual choice for back teeth and heavy biters.
- Layered porcelain. Porcelain layered over a zirconia core gives the most lifelike translucency for front teeth, matched tooth by tooth.
The American Dental Association’s page on bridges describes the types and the care they need, and notes that the neighboring teeth must be strong enough to support one.
Bridge vs. implant vs. partial denture
| Dental bridge | Single implant | Removable partial denture | |
|---|---|---|---|
| How it stays in | Cemented to the neighboring teeth | A titanium post in the bone with a crown on top | Clasps on the remaining teeth; removed at night |
| Neighboring teeth | Shaped and crowned | Untouched | Untouched, but clasps wear them over time |
| Bone preservation | Bone under the gap slowly shrinks | Preserves the bone | Bone shrinks |
| Time to final tooth | 2 to 3 weeks, temporary the same day | 3 to 6 months for healing, temporary tooth meanwhile | 2 to 4 weeks |
| Surgery | None | Minor, by our periodontist | None |
| Chewing | Strong | Strongest, like a natural tooth | Weakest |
| Cleaning | Floss threaders or a water flosser under the pontic | Like a natural tooth | Removed and brushed |
| Lifespan | 10 to 15 years, sometimes longer | 20 years or more; the crown may be replaced | 5 to 8 years |
| Best for | Neighbors that already need crowns; patients who cannot have an implant; a quick fixed solution | A single missing tooth with healthy neighbors and good bone | Several missing teeth in different places; a budget or interim option |
| Provided at SFSS | Yes | Yes, placed by our periodontist and restored by Dr. Berger | Yes |
The Process
Getting a bridge at South Florida Smile Spa, step by step
- Consultation and imaging. X-rays and, where an implant is a possibility, a 3D cone-beam scan to see the bone. Dr. Berger explains bridge, implant and partial options with a written fee for each.
- Preparation. Under local anesthetic, the teeth on each side of the gap are shaped for crowns, any decay or old fillings are removed and the teeth are built up where needed.
- Digital scan. An iTero scan replaces impression putty and the bridge is designed on screen, with the pontic shaped to sit cleanly against the gum.
- Temporary bridge. A temporary is made and fitted the same day so you leave with a complete smile and can chew while the final bridge is made.
- Fitting. About two weeks later the bridge is tried in, the contacts, bite and shade are checked and adjusted, and it is cemented permanently.
- Follow-up and care. A short check a few weeks later, instruction on cleaning under the pontic, and the bridge is examined at every six-monthly visit.
Bridge or implant: how Dr. Berger decides
The question that decides it is the condition of the neighboring teeth. If they are healthy, unfilled and strong, cutting them down for crowns to carry a bridge sacrifices sound tooth structure, and a single implant that leaves them alone is almost always the better recommendation, provided the bone is adequate and the patient is a surgical candidate. If one or both neighbors already have large fillings, cracks or old crowns, they benefit from being crowned anyway, and a bridge gives you three new teeth for the preparation of two. Bridges are also the answer for patients who cannot or prefer not to have surgery, for sites where bone grafting would be needed, and for people who need the gap filled this month rather than in six. Dr. Berger lays both options out with their fees and lets you choose.
What a missing tooth does if it is left
A gap is rarely just cosmetic. The tooth behind it tips forward into the space, the tooth above or below it grows down or up looking for a partner, the bite shifts, food packs into the new angles and the bone beneath the gap slowly resorbs. Within a few years the neighboring teeth can be harder to crown or the site harder to implant. Replacing a tooth within a year or so of losing it, with a bridge, an implant or at least a partial, keeps the options open and the rest of the mouth stable. Our extractions page explains how a replacement is planned at the time a tooth is removed.
How long a bridge lasts, and what shortens it
A well-made bridge on sound teeth lasts ten to fifteen years, and many go longer. The usual reasons for failure are decay at the edges of the supporting crowns, which comes from plaque left under the pontic, and overload from grinding or from spanning too many teeth. Flossing under the pontic every day with a floss threader or a water flosser, keeping the gum edges clean, wearing a nightguard if you grind, and six-monthly exams where the margins are checked and X-rayed are what keep a bridge healthy. When a bridge does fail, the supporting teeth are assessed and the replacement is often an implant.
Replacing an old bridge
Bridges made fifteen or twenty years ago often have a metal substructure that shows as a grey line at the gum, porcelain that has chipped, or decay under one of the supporting crowns. Dr. Berger replaces them with zirconia or layered porcelain that is stronger and has no metal to show, after checking whether the supporting teeth are still sound enough to carry a bridge or whether an implant should take over. Where a tooth has been lost under the old bridge, an implant-supported bridge or a combination is planned.
Bridges as part of a smile makeover
A front-tooth bridge is designed with the whole smile in mind: the pontic is shaped so the gum looks as though a tooth is emerging from it, the shade is matched to the surrounding teeth after any whitening, and the supporting crowns are contoured to match veneers or crowns planned elsewhere. Our smile makeover and dental crowns pages explain how the pieces are sequenced.
Cost and insurance
A bridge is priced per unit, so a three-unit bridge is three crowns, and quoted in writing with the implant and partial alternatives alongside it. Most dental plans cover bridges as a major restorative service, typically at fifty percent up to the annual maximum, with a waiting period on new plans and a replacement clause for existing bridges older than five to seven years. Our team verifies your benefits, submits a pre-authorization where the plan allows it, and financing is available for the balance.
Care in Pompano Beach
Why patients choose South Florida Smile Spa for bridges
- Both options, honestly. Bridge and implant are laid out with their fees and trade-offs, and the recommendation follows the teeth, not the fee.
- Digital design. iTero scanning, no putty, and the bridge designed on screen so the pontic sits cleanly and the bite is right.
- A cosmetic dentist’s eye. Front-tooth bridges are shaped and shaded to disappear into the smile.
- Temporary the same day. You leave the preparation visit with a complete smile.
- Looked after for years. Margins checked and X-rayed at every exam, cleaning under the pontic taught and reinforced.
Bridge patients come to us from Pompano Beach, Lighthouse Point, Deerfield Beach, Fort Lauderdale and Coconut Creek, including many replacing bridges made decades ago.
A missing tooth, or an old bridge that needs replacing
Book a consultation with Dr. Berger. Bridge, implant and partial options with a written fee for each, and a recommendation that follows your teeth.
South Florida Smile Spa · Dr. Nicole M. Berger, DDS · 572 E McNab Rd, Suite 102, Pompano Beach, FL 33060 · (954) 785-1100
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a dental bridge?
A fixed replacement for one or more missing teeth: crowns on the teeth either side of the gap with a false tooth joined between them, cemented in place so it stays in like your own teeth. It is made from a digital scan in zirconia or layered porcelain.
Is a bridge better than an implant?
It depends on the neighboring teeth. If they already need crowns, a bridge solves both problems and is finished in weeks. If they are healthy, a single implant is usually better because it leaves them untouched and preserves the bone. Dr. Berger explains both with fees.
How long does a dental bridge last?
Ten to fifteen years on average, often longer, with daily cleaning under the pontic, a nightguard if you grind, and six-monthly exams. Decay under a supporting crown is the usual cause of failure, and it is preventable.
Does getting a bridge hurt?
No. The teeth are numbed for preparation, and mild sensitivity for a few days afterward is normal. The fitting visit is usually done without anesthetic.
How many visits does a bridge take?
Two, about two weeks apart: preparation and scan with a temporary bridge fitted the same day, then the final bridge cemented. A third short check follows if adjustments are needed.
How do I clean under a bridge?
With a floss threader or a water flosser under the pontic once a day, plus normal brushing and flossing of the supporting teeth. Our hygienists show you at the fitting and check at every cleaning.
Can a bridge replace a front tooth?
Yes, and it is a common use. The pontic is shaped to emerge naturally from the gum and the porcelain is layered to match the neighboring teeth; when the neighbors are healthy, an implant is usually offered as the alternative.
Can an old bridge be replaced?
Yes. Old metal-based bridges with grey gumlines, chipped porcelain or decay underneath are replaced with metal-free zirconia or porcelain, after checking whether the supporting teeth can still carry a bridge or an implant should take over.
Do you see patients from outside Pompano Beach?
Yes. Bridge patients come from Lighthouse Point, Deerfield Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Coconut Creek and across Broward County, and a bridge is only two visits. The office is at 572 E McNab Rd, Suite 102, Pompano Beach. Call (954) 785-1100 or request an appointment.