Dental Bridge: A Link To A Better Smile
The most common way of replacing missing tooth or teeth is by having the dentist place a dental bridge to fill in that gap. There are currently several types of dental bridges.
A Regular or Traditional Bridge is made up of at least one pontic (a fake tooth) to replace the missing tooth and 2 crowns. One crown is attached on each side of the pontic to hold it in place. The dentist files down the teeth where the crown goes in, he then takes an impression and sends it to the lab. When they come back, he’ll then have to make sure that it has a proper fit. When it’s fitted correctly he’ll cements the bridge in place.
Cantilever Bridge can be used when there are only teeth on one side of the missing tooth. The dentist usually files down one or two teeth and makes a mold to create one or two crowns and the pontic that will go at the end to fill that missing space. Having two crowns attached to a pontic is usually more secure than just having one crown anchor the pontic.
The Maryland Bridge is a less invasive way to replace a missing tooth. It’s basically made of a pontic attached to a metal wing on each side. If the bridge is for replacing one of the front teeth then it would be best to use ceramic wings because since teeth are translucent, you can see the shadow of the metal behind the teeth. The wings are basically cemented to the back of the teeth next to the missing one.
Dental bridges are usually durable but it depends on how you take care of your teeth. They usually last at least about 10 years or more. The process is much less expensive and less complicated than a dental implant. It also takes less time to complete the entire process. A bridge can help keep maintain the proper alignment of your teeth by preventing the other teeth from shifting. It can help maintain self confidence because the patient won’t be conscious of their smile or speech, which can be affected when a tooth is missing.
A couple of problems about dental bridges are that the patient might experience some sensitivity to heat and cold foods or beverages. They will also have to be careful of what they eat especially with harder foods because it might cause damage to the bridge. Overall it is the best solution especially if one’s gums aren’t viable to accept a dental implant or afford the cost.
