Brockley Dental Blog, Dental Bridges, Dental Implants, Dentures, Family Dentistry, Mini Dental Implants, Restorative Dentistry

Dental Roundhouse Bridge: An Alternative to Dentures

Dental Roundhouse Bridge in Butler, PA | Fixed Denture Solutions

Having a gap in your smile can feel like wearing a shirt with a missing button. It’s a noticeable and nagging frustration that can impact your confidence. Now, imagine your shirt was missing all its buttons—that would drastically change how it looks and functions. Just as a tailor can easily fix a button-less shirt, an experienced dentist can rejuvenate a toothless smile. If you’re missing all your teeth on your upper or lower arch, we can restore your smile with a dental roundhouse bridge.

Oral health awareness can be improved in Pennsylvania, as only 68% of the adult population uses the oral health care system. Considering that 7% of adults aged 45+ have already lost all their teeth, there is a critical need for education and access to advanced tooth replacement solutions. Dental roundhouse bridges are not as well known as other restorative options like dental crowns or dentures, but they offer a reliable approach that combines stability, aesthetics, and functionality.

What Is a Dental Roundhouse Bridge?

Dental Roundhouse Bridge in Butler, PA | Fixed Denture SolutionsYou may have heard of traditional, tooth-supported dental bridges. These prosthetics are often used to fill a gap left by one to three missing teeth in a row. Implant-supported bridges share this purpose but use dental implants, rather than natural teeth, for support.

The aspect that sets a roundhouse bridge apart from a regular dental bridge is the number of teeth that it replaces. Like a roundhouse kick that sweeps across the body in a circle, a roundhouse bridge replaces all the teeth in the arch. This horseshoe-shaped prosthetic offers a seamless and comprehensive solution for extreme tooth loss.

To fully restore the teeth, the roundhouse bridge connects to dental implants, which are metal screws placed directly into the jawbone. These screws provide a stable and secure base for the roundhouse bridge. As a result, the roundhouse bridge system is an implant denture that offers a superior alternative to traditional dentures.

Why Get a Dental Roundhouse Bridge?

There are many solutions for restoring and restoring missing teeth. So, why choose a roundhouse bridge over a traditional pair of dentures?

  1. Far greater stability: The biggest reason roundhouse bridges are a superior choice to conventional dentures is their solid foundation of dental implants. By just sitting on top of your gums, dentures will eventually lose their fit and slide around in your mouth. Because a roundhouse bridge is connected to dental implants, it’s much more stable.
  2. Fully restored function: Missing teeth make it challenging to chew food or speak clearly. While traditional dentures help, they do not provide the bite force needed to eat certain crunchy, tough, or chewy foods. With a dental roundhouse bridge, you regain full functionality, allowing you to enjoy all your favorite foods again.
  3. Enhanced smile appearance: A dental roundhouse bridge instantly restores your natural smile. This prosthetic looks more like your original teeth than a pair of dentures and will never unexpectedly slip out.
  4. Increased durability: Roundhouse bridges are made of zirconia, a material ten times harder than tooth enamel. They can last many years with proper care, making them a worthwhile investment for oral health.

The Benefits of Mini Dental Implants

At Brockley Dental Center, we use innovative mini dental implants to secure roundhouse bridges. That’s because mini implants offer many advantages over traditional dental implants. As their name suggests, size is the key difference between these two devices. Mini implants are less than half the size of traditional implants, so we can use them in patients with less jawbone density. Their slim size also allows us to place them closer together, enhancing support for the bridge.

We sometimes refer to this system as Fix-on-Six® because six to ten mini implants support the bridge. This is an upgrade to the All-on-4® method, which uses four traditional implants to support the teeth. Thanks to the added implants, Fix-on-Six® more effectively distributes bite and chewing forces across the jawbone. This system is also reliable, as it prevents total system collapse if one of the implants fails.

You don’t have to worry about the added implants extending the procedure or increasing pain. Mini implants are much simpler and quicker to place than traditional implants. We use a minimally invasive technique that reduces discomfort and facilitates a quick recovery. While conventional implants can take months to heal before the process can be completed, with mini implants, we can place the screws and mount the bridge in one visit. Therefore, mini implants enable immediate results. The entire process is more efficient with mini implants, contributing to a lower cost than conventional implants.

What Does a Roundhouse Bridge Cost?

Factors contributing to the cost of a roundhouse bridge are the number of dental implants required for your particular case and whether preparatory procedures, such as extractions, are needed.

We recognize that the financial aspect of dental procedures can be intimidating. At Brockley Dental Center, we aim to address these concerns proactively. At your visit, we’ll review your insurance coverage so you understand your plan’s coverage. If you want to finance your treatment, we partner with CareCredit to offer several flexible payment plans. Whether you prefer short or long-term financing, options are available to help make treatment manageable.

Your Next Step

Brockley Dental Center is committed to offering comprehensive, patient-centered care. We don’t believe in a one-size-fits-all approach. Instead, we tailor our recommendations based on patients’ concerns, desires, and oral health needs. If you are missing teeth and are looking for the best solutions, we can help. Call us today to schedule your first visit and discover how a dental roundhouse bridge can transform your smile.

Donald B. Brockley, DMD

Dr. Brockley earned his doctorate degree in Dental Medicine from the University of Pittsburgh, School of Dental Medicine in 1972. He is a second generation dentist and a legacy of the University of Pittsburgh, School of Dental Medicine where his father, Dr. Charles R. Brockley earned his doctorate in general dentistry in the year 1927. While attending the University of Pittsburgh, School of Dental Medicine, he held the office of Class Secretary for his graduating class. Following dental school, he chose to do his residency training at Wilmington Medical Center in Wilmington, Delaware, with a focus on research. Upon completing his residency, Dr. Brockley enlisted in the Navy during the Vietnam War Era as a Naval Officer. Dr. Brockley opened his own private practice 1975 in Butler, PA a historic town just 34 miles north of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Dr. Brockley held the office of President of the Butler County Dental Society. After many years of practice, Dr. Brockley realized that fear is the #1 reason why people do not visit their dentist regularly. Therefore, he made it his mission to find an alternative way to practice (and to help his patients overcome this fear). This alternative was through Sedation Dentistry. In 1996 he became trained in Conscious Oral Sedation. This technique allowed him to treat fearful patients by gently putting them to sleep with the aid of a pill, not needle IV sedation which was the popular treatment at that time. Dr. Brockley received his dental training at the following institutions: University of Pittsburgh, School of Dental Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA Tufts University, School of Dental Medicine, Boston, MA University of North Carolina, School of Dentistry, Raleigh, NC Mini Dental Implant Training Centre, Buffalo, NY. Due to the high number of patients who are diabetic in his practice, his next goal was to understand the impact of Diabetes in Dentistry. Due to the subset of Diabetic patients in his practice who had similar recurring oral and systemic health problems, special attention became warranted. This led to a different standard of care and treatment for patients whose health was compromised by diabetes. Early detection, observation, evaluation and treatment to eradicate infection plays a major role in maintaining oral health for diabetic patients. Poorly managed treatment for diabetic patients has been shown to lead to a higher risk of uncontrolled gum disease and vice versa, making prevention of gum disease the #1 priority for this subset of patients. Dr. Brockley’s research on dentistry for diabetics led him to his next specialization: the treatment and eradication of gum disease. His aim has been to change the the treatment of gum disease, also known as periodontal disease. For this reason, he designed a radically different protocol to the Soft Tissue Management (STM) program. STM treats the symptoms of gum disease, and more importantly, the underlying cause of gum disease, bacteria. Studies have shown that gum disease affects 80% of American adults. However, Dr. Brockley has observed that more than 90% of his baby boomer patients have gum disease. His unique STM protocol has shown significant success within his patient population. With patient knowledge, understanding, and cooperation, Dr. Brockley is able to arrest and manage gum disease in his practice. After perfecting his procedures for crowns, bridges, partials and dentures to replace missing teeth, the introduction of Small Diameter Implants (also known as SDI or Mini Dental Implants) into his practice has revolutionized the way Dr. Brockley practices cosmetic dentistry. Small Diameter Implants provide the possibility of full mouth restoration, multiple teeth restoration, or single tooth restoration. Small Diameter Implants can be implemented in all types of tooth and bone conditions, in all ages, and in all types of health conditions. Dr. Brockley uses Small Diameter Implants to restore chewing ability and create beautiful smiles, which ultimately changes peoples’ lives. Dr. Brockley is the proud owner and operator of the first Mini Dental Implant Center of America in the Greater Pittsburgh area. Dr. Brockley has achieved Diplomate status in the International Academy of Mini Dental Implants. He is the President Emeritus of the Butler County Dental Society. Dr. Brockley was also a Lieutenant in the US Navel Dental Core. He is a a lifetime member of the Delta Sigma Dental Fraternity, and he was the Class Secretary for the University of Pittsburgh Dental School. Dr. Brockley likes to spend time with his family at home or while traveling, has been an avid scuba diver since 1980, and describes himself as a “just okay” golfer.

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