If you have any of your teeth missing then a dental bridge will be your permanent appliance, which is able to replace the missing tooth/teeth. It is generally made up of many pieces that are going to be fused together so that it can fit into your open space where the original tooth or teeth was placed before.
Mostly, dental bridges are considered as an alternative to your partial dentures. They can serve both as practical as well as aesthetic purposes so that they can enable you to eat properly and also speak better. It can also restore your teeth’ appearance.
Your dental bridge will be made of many different kinds of materials e.g., porcelain, alloys, and even gold. While replacing your front tooth, most often porcelain is the most preferred choice as a material because it can easily be matched to any of your natural colors of a tooth.
Dental bridge types
If you ever visit any cosmetic dentist Rancho Bernardo then he will give you an option to go for any of the following dental bridges. We have briefly discussed each of them here:
- Traditional
A traditional kind of dental bridge will consist of a certain false tooth/teeth that will be held in its place with the help of dental crown, which have been suitably cemented onto each and every abutment tooth.
This type of bridge is one of the most popular types of dental bridge, which can be used whenever you have got natural teeth available on both sides of your gap that has been created by any missing tooth.
- Maryland
Also, similar to the above traditional bridge, this dental bridge will use 2 natural abutment teeth, which is one on both sides of your gap.
While any traditional bridge may use dental crowns on your abutment teeth, a Maryland bridge will use a certain framework of either porcelain or metal that will be bonded onto the abutment teeth’ backs.
Like any traditional bridge, this bridge can be used only when you have got a certain natural tooth on both sides of the gap that is caused by your missing tooth/teeth.
- Cantilever
The cantilever may be almost similar to the above traditional bridge, which is held in its place by a certain dental crown that will be cemented to one of the abutment teeth only. For any cantilever bridge, you will need only one natural tooth that must be next to your missing tooth gap.
- Implant-supported
Implant-supported bridges may use dental implants where cosmetic dentistry Rancho Bernardoone will implant surgically for every place where there is a missing tooth, and all these implants will hold your bridge in its position.
If one of the implants for your missing tooth is not possible, then the bridge can have a certain pontic suspended in between 2 implant-supported crowns.
This is considered as the strongest and also most stable system, and needs 2 different surgeries:
- Firstly,embed the implants in yourjawbone
- Second surgery will be to place your bridge
It may take a few months to complete the procedure.
Pros and cons of dental bridges
The following are the pros of dental bridges:
- You can restore your natural look and your mouth as well as smile
- You will be able to speak normally because due to any missing teeth you will not be able to pronounce a few words
- You can maintain your normal facial structure as bone loss can be prevented from your jaw where there was missing tooth/teeth
- You can chew your food efficiently
- It can prevent your adjacent teeth to move into the space lying empty that can create problems while biting and may lead to some other complications.
The following are a few cons too.
- Any future abutment teeth damage may compromise the bridge.
- In case, your crowns are ill-fitting, then bacteria and plaque can get inside and may cause your tooth decay.
- Your crowns may change your teeth structure, affecting your bite.
- In case your abutment teeth are not very strong for supporting the bridge, then the bridge may collapse.
- Your abutment teeth may get weakened by this procedure(s) and that has to be finally replaced by certain dental implants.
Are you theright candidate for a dental bridge?
A dental bridge cannot be recommended to everyone. The following are a few factors that may be needed to become the right candidate for dental bridge:
- There must be one or also more than one missing tooth among the permanent teeth
- Must be of overall good health
- Must be having other teeth healthy and with a strong structure of bone for supporting the bridge
- Must have good oral health
- The candidate must be performing good oral hygiene for maintaining the condition of his/her dental bridge
Before going for a dental bridge, both your dentist and you should have enough discussion on all these factors so that you can jointly decide whether a bridge will be the right option for you or not. If any of your adult children lose any permanent teeth and need any dental bridge then you must consult with any pediatric dentist Rancho Bernardo.
Although there can be both plus and minus points of getting any dental bridge, however, studies have proved that for people who follow good oral hygiene, then a dental bridge will be the best option for any missing teeth.
