Dental Bridge

Whether it’s the idea of restoring a patient’s smile or treating teeth-related speech problems, dental bridges serve as an effective dental treatment option for maintaining the shape of a face and addressing chewing, bite as well as other dental problems. In simpler terms, dental bridges aim at bridging the gap that results from one or a whole set of missing teeth.

 

Types of Dental Bridges

Traditional Dental Bridges

Generally, these dental bridges involve the development of a crown for the patient’s tooth or dental implant on any one side of the missing tooth while having a pontic in the middle. Traditional bridges are quite common and are usually developed from porcelain fused to ceramics or metal.

Cantilever Dental Bridges 

These bridges are used if the adjacent teeth are only on either side of the missing teeth.

Resin-Bonded Dental Bridges

Developed from plastic teeth and gums, these bridges have a metal framework to support the plastic teeth as well as gums. Metal wings on the two sides of the bridge are bonded to the patient’s existing teeth.

Why Would You Need A Dental Bridge?

Having missing teeth is a problematic and often embarrassing, but if discussed with an experienced cosmetic dentist, it is a usually a problem that can be rectified with the correct treatment. Unfilled spaces in the mouth can affect the position of the surrounding teeth while affecting an individual’s oral health. People with missing teeth have a higher chance of developing tooth decay as well as gum disease.

About The Procedure

The first step of the procedure involves preparing the teeth on any one side of the region for the false teeth. A mild anesthetic is generally given for numbing the region and removing the area of each abutment (teeth on any side of the space) for accommodating for the crown thickness. When the teeth have fillings, part of the filling can be left in place for supporting as a base for the crown.

An impression is then made to use as a model from which the false tooth, bridge and crowns are developed. A temporary bridge is then placed for protecting the teeth and gums while the bridge is being prepared. On the next visit, the temporary bridge is removed with the new permanent bridge being checked and adjusted for achieving a proper fit. The patient may need to visit the dentist a number of times to make sure that the metal framework fits properly and there are no bite issues.