Getting Familiar with Dental Bridges

If it is your first time dealing with missing teeth, you may not be familiar with what a dental bridge is. A dental bridge works toward eliminating the gap that has been formed by either one or multiple missing teeth. The dental bridge in itself will typically comprise of a crown on each end. Between these crowns, there will be one or more false teeth attached to make up the bridge, depending on how many teeth you need replaced. The crowns on the dental bridge are commonly referred to as abutment teeth. They work toward anchoring the dental bridge and can be attached to natural teeth or dental implants. The prosthetic teeth that are attached to the bridge are referred to as pontics.

What are the different types of dental bridges?

Traditional bridges: These are the conventional types of bridges and comprise of two abutments that support pontics. Typically, traditional bridges tend to cause some harm to natural teeth, as the supporting teeth need to be reshaped for the crowns to be able to attach onto them. In the event that the supportive teeth have acquired some damage, the patient may have to undergo root canal therapy before the abutments are affixed to the teeth.

Cantilever bridge: This type of dental bridge is only fitted on one side of the gap rather than having two crowns on opposite ends of each other. However, it should be noted that the abutments are not necessarily limited to one, despite the fact that they are all located on one side of the missing tooth or teeth.

Bonded bridge: A bonded bridge comprises of a metal framework that has a wing-like feature at its ends. This wing-like feature is what is attached to the back of your natural teeth. The prosthetic teeth are also attached onto the metal framework and thus will naturally fit into the gap that has been left by the missing teeth. This type of dental bridge is also referred to as an acid-etched dental bridge.

What are the advantages of getting dental bridges?

There are numerous advantages of opting for dental bridges rather than simply having to deal with gaps in your mouth from missing teeth. Some of the benefits of this type of treatment include:

• Restoring your natural smile
• Restoring your speech patterns
• Restoring your chewing capabilities
• Ensuring that the shape of your face is maintained by avoiding sagging
• Restoring your bite
• Preventing the chances of adjacent teeth moving out of position due to lack of support

For more information about bridges and other dental procedures, consider contacting a local dentist, such as  Bruce Stevens Dental.