What are Dental Bridges: Types, Procedure & Benefits
What are Dental Bridges?
Dental bridges can be used to replace one tooth or an arch of missing teeth. Bridges are made of several tooth pieces fused for fitting in a missing tooth gap. Dental bridges in Plano, TX, are used as alternatives to partial dentures and have both functional aesthetic benefits.
Bridgeworks at Arte Dental – Plano uses different materials like gold, alloy, and ceramics. However, only porcelain is used when replacing the more visible front teeth since it can be matched to the natural teeth’ color.
Types of Dental Bridges
Dental bridges use artificial teeth called pontics, so there is a pontic for each missing tooth. It’s created to match missing teeth’ shape, size, and color. Additionally, they are anchored to the tooth neighboring the gap using an artificial crown called an abutment tooth.
A dental implant supports the pontic in cases where the next tooth is not healthy or strong enough. There are four main types of dental bridges, namely:
Traditional Dental Bridge
It’s the most conventional dental bridge that involves a false tooth anchored by dental crowns on either side and cemented on by abutment teeth. Traditional bridges are the most popular dental bridges and are used when the patient has healthy natural teeth on both sides of the gap of the missing tooth.
Cantilever Dental Bridge
Cantilever bridges are similar to traditional bridges, but the pontic in cantilever bridges is anchored by a dental crown attached to one abutment tooth. It’s used when only one tooth on the sides of the missing tooth gap is healthy.
Maryland Dental Bridge
Like traditional bridges, Maryland dental bridges require two healthy abutments teeth on either side of th tooth gap. But instead of using artificial tooth crowns to attach, Maryland bridges use metal or porcelain frameworks attached to the back of the abutment teeth.
Also, they can only be used when the patient has two healthy natural abutment teeth on both sides of the missing tooth gap.
Implant-supported Bridges
Instead of crowns and frameworks, implant-supported bridges use a dental implant to support the pontic. The dentist near you typically places one dental implant for each missing tooth and the bridges attached on top of the implant. If it’s impossible to place an implant for each missing tooth, the dentist can suspend a pontic between two crowns.
It’s one of the strongest and most stable bridgework systems. It requires two surgeries, one to fix implants into the jawbone and another to lace the dental bridges. It can last several months till completion.
Dental Bridge Procedure
The dentist in Plano, TX, first assesses your teeth structure in a preliminary appointment where they take jaw x-rays. This helps develop the best treatment decision and options of bridges and the advantages and disadvantages of each type.
Your dentist files the abutment teeth to the right shape for bridge placement during the first appointment. They then take impressions of the ground teeth to construct a bridge. The prosthetics need to match the teeth closely, so your dentist must also take a sample color. You may be fitted with an artificial bridge to protect the shaped tooth during the construction of the permanent bridge.
The second appointment begins with the placement of the constructed appliance. The dentist removes the temporary bridge first and may clean the underlying teeth. They then use dental cement to attach the bridge to the abutment teeth.
Results are immediate as the patient feels when they bite gently down the teeth. The new weird feeling is normal but should fade off soon.
Follow up
Dental implant aftercare is critical to ensure the patient understands what to expect and how to care for their dental bridge. The dentist in Plano, TX, explains what the dental bridge entails, the best oral care practices, and when to pursue dental assistance. Your dental bridge can last for ten years.
Benefits of Dental Bridges
Below are the benefits of dental bridges:
- Bridges restore your mouth’s natural look and smile
- Restores the ability to speak appropriately and normal functioning
- Maintains the normal facial structure by evading bone loss at the missing tooth site
- Restore the chewing ability
They prevent misalignment of the teeth on the sides of the missing tooth gap towards the space, which can cause bite problems and other complications. To get dental bridges in Plano, TX, call us or book an appointment with Arte Dental today!