What is a Dental Tooth Bridge?

Simply put and straight to the point, a dental bridge is literally bridging a gap created by you missing one or more teeth. Like a bridge that you drive over every day, crossing a river, railroad tracks or a valley, a dental bridge is doing the same thing. Let’s address why you should consider a dental bridge cary nc, how they work, and the different types of bridges available and the benefits of having a bridge made for yourself.

The Reasons for a Dental Bridge

The cause behind you considering a bridge would begin with you losing a tooth. So, either you had a tooth extracted due to the fact that the dentist couldn’t save it or an accident broke or chipped the tooth beyond repair… you are left with a gap. The biggest reason for having that gap filled is that the permanent teeth on each side of it will shift into that gap compounding health and oral hygiene issues.

How They Work

Like a bridge you cross, an abutment must exist on each side to serve as anchors to cover the span. The dentist will remove some of the two abutment teeth so they can accept a crown. The crowns can be made of porcelain or enamel and will fit over those two abutment teeth. The artificial tooth is called a pontic and is affixed permanently to these two crowns. The pontic is also made from porcelain, enamel or alloys. Whatever material you, your dentist and the dental lab have agreed on to match your natural teeth.

The Different Types of Dental Bridges

The most common is the Traditional Bridge using the crowns over the adjoining abutment teeth. A Cantilever Bridge uses only one abutment tooth as an anchor. Once again a crown will go over that permanent tooth to anchor the bridge. A third type of bridge is the Maryland Bridge. This alternative uses a metal framework that then is bonded to the back of the two anchor teeth. This method is more conservative, doesn’t involve the crowns or the prep work necessary on those two anchor teeth to accept the crowns. The fourth method is an Implant-Supported Bridge. If you have several teeth missing and the span is too long to bridge with the traditional method an implant bridge may be added to the middle of the span to reinforce the strength of the bridge – this typically uses two dental implants as the abutments.

The Benefits of having a Dental Bridge

We mentioned earlier the fact that your teeth can shift into the gap left from the missing tooth. This is the number one health benefit, to eliminate that drift. The obvious benefit is the restoration of your smile and the added value that comes with a healthy smile. You will also appreciate and enjoy the ability to chew your food properly by distributing your bite as it should be. Even having any speech issues you may have encountered put to rest is a benefit. By keeping all the permanent teeth in their proper place it will inevitably maintain the shape of your face. A dental bridge is by all means a worthwhile investment.

Learn More About Dental Bridges : What is the Dental Bridge Procedure?