A dental bridge is a prosthesis used to replace a missing tooth or teeth, filling the gap. Having a gap between your teeth can be harmful to your dental well-being as it may cause your teeth to move, leading to a painful change in your bite. Dental bridges solve this issue by utilizing the adjacent teeth as support to hold the prosthetic tooth in position. Usually, porcelain crowns are placed on the neighboring teeth, with the pontic (the false tooth) fused between them.
Types of dental bridges
There are three commonly used types of dental bridges:
- Traditional fixed bridge - This type of dental bridge involves placing porcelain crowns over the two adjacent teeth to serve as anchors for holding the false tooth in place. The false tooth is usually made of porcelain fused to metal or ceramics.
- Cantilever bridge - A cantilever bridge is used when there are teeth present on only one side of the gap. It is commonly used for areas of the mouth that do not experience heavy chewing, such as the front teeth.
- Resin-bonded bridge - In a resin-bonded bridge, metal bands are bonded to the surrounding teeth using resin to secure a plastic false tooth in place. This type of bridge is typically used in areas of the mouth that undergo less stress, such as the front teeth.
How it's done
A dental bridge requires a minimum of two visits. During the first visit, three important steps are completed. Firstly, the surrounding teeth are prepared for a crown by filing them down. Secondly, an impression of your teeth is taken and sent to a laboratory to prepare the bridge and crown. Finally, a temporary bridge is fitted to protect your teeth while the permanent bridge is being prepared.
During the second visit, the temporary bridge is removed and the new bridge received from the laboratory is fitted and adjusted. Additional visits may be necessary to ensure the proper fit and make any necessary adjustments.
