Whether you have gaps between your teeth or you have lost a tooth due to decay, infection or accident, you can replace missing or gapped teeth with natural looking prosthetic device, called dental bridges.
Dental bridges are the latest and best solution for replacing teeth that are missing or that need to be removed. Fused between two porcelain crowns, a dental bridge not only helps you obtain a perfect and complete smile but also restores your ability to eat and look normal.
Gone are the days when people with the poor dental structure and unattractive smile did not have any solutions and they have to live with stained, chipped, misaligned or spaced teeth. Today, a wide variety of aesthetic dental treatments are available that can correct everything from minor flaws in the smile to tooth discoloration, missing or cracked teeth, and unevenly spaced teeth.
From implants, porcelain veneers and bridges to tooth-colored fillings, patients can choose from a plethora of dental solutions to restore the vitality of their smile and overall oral health.
What are Dental Bridges?
Dental Bridges are referred to as a false tooth or teeth (pontic) to create a beautiful, healthy and a more aesthetically pleasing smile. These prosthetics are used in cosmetic dentistry to “bridge” the gaps where a tooth or teeth are missing or removed.
Made of two caps, known as crowns, and an artificial tooth, a dental bridge is permanently fixed to abutment teeth that are on each side of the false tooth.
Over the last few years, this cosmetic dental appliance has undergone a transformation, thanks to cutting-edge dental technology, including the computerized x-rays and the revolutionary 3D imagery & CAD-CAM system.
Cosmetic dental experts now are able to quickly create accurate dental restorations, including abutments, full crowns, dental bars, implant bridges and inlays / onlays, that are stronger and has a more natural and pleasant appearance.
Types
There are three main types of dental bridges:
Traditional bridges: Made of porcelain or porcelain fused to metal, these prosthetics are fixed and unlike removable partial dentures you cannot take them out of your mouth.
Cantilever bridges: This form of bridges is used when only one abutment tooth surrounds the open space.
Maryland bonded bridges: Also called a resin-bonded bridge, this bridge is primarily used for your front teeth. It is a good choice when the abutment teeth are healthy, strong and don’t have large fillings.
Advantages
With latest advancements in dental technology and cosmetic dentistry, installing a bridge is a simple procedure now.
It is a time-saving procedure, requiring only two visits to the dentist.
Bridges are natural in appearance.
They help maintain your facial tone and prevent facial musculature changes.
If you maintain good oral hygiene, bridges can reduce your risk of gum disease and prevent the tooth from shifting, tilting, or drifting into the empty space.
They give you a healthy, beautiful, well-aligned smile as well as help correct bite issues and even improve your ability to speak properly.
Your chewing efficiency is increased as the forces in your bite are equally distributed after installation of bridges.
Bridges are less invasive and less expensive when compared to dental implants or any other restorative dental procedure.
Your fixed bridge should last as many as ten years or more, albeit it requires commitment to serious oral hygiene.
Disadvantages
It is likely that your teeth become sensitive to extreme temperatures, hot and cold, for a few weeks after the treatment.
Acidic food may lead to build up of bacteria on your teeth and gums can become infected in the absence of proper oral hygiene.
Smoking may cause complications, as it harbors bacterial growth.
Poor oral hygiene can aggravate failure of dental bridges.
Cemented bridge may become loose or collapse.
A dental bridge requires removal of natural tooth structure from the two anchor teeth.