A dental bridge is used to replace a missing tooth or teeth. It is used for esthetic purposes and also helps with a good masticatory function. Please read the article to know more.
Dental Bridge is the most commonly used norm in a dental office when one thinks of replacing tooth or teeth. So you need not get confused or get tense anymore after hearing this word, as this article helps you to know about dental bridges in detail so that you can think and decide about the different dental bridges you want to go for.
Terminologies Used When Planning about Dental Bridge:
Dental bridges are a commonly used solution for replacing missing teeth. Dentists and prosthodontists have been using dental bridges for many years. A dental bridge is for bridging the gap that occurred because of a missing tooth or teeth. The tooth used for support (anchor tooth) is called the abutment tooth. The false teeth (crown) at the site of the missing tooth are called pontics. Pontics are made up of gold alloy or porcelain, or ceramic material.
Indications of Dental Bridges:
A person with a missing tooth or teeth because of,
Advanced gum problems.
Congenital missing tooth or teeth.
For getting a dental bridge, you need healthy teeth on either side of the edentulous area.
When it comes to chewing or biting function, the teeth start to work together, be it in the same arch or the opposite arch. When one tooth or more than one tooth is missing, then the following adverse effects occur.
Opposite teeth will not get any stable point to chew on.
Adjacent teeth on either side of the edentulous place will not get enough support, so there are chances that teeth on either side of the edentulous space will tilt or move towards the side of the edentulous space.
At the site of edentulous space, there will be more bone resorption, so the ridge at the site will get resorbed slowly.
There will be pain and extra stress on your teeth and jaws.
Your look will get hampered because of a missing tooth or teeth and may lead you to become self-conscious about your look and smile.
A typical dental bridge consists of:
Abutment Teeth - These are anchoring teeth or supporting teeth. That may be natural teeth or dental implants. The dentist places crowns on teeth on either side of the gap.
Pontics - This is a false tooth or teeth. It fills the gap of missing tooth and attaches to the adjacent crowns. There are different types of dental bridges, and mainly, they get sorted into four types:
Traditional fixed bridges.
Maryland bridge or resin-bonded bridge.
a) Traditional Fixed Bridge - This is the most commonly used dental bridge. These are made up of metal or ceramic or porcelain or metal fused to porcelain. It consists of a filler tooth and two or more crowns that are connected.
b) Cantilever Bridge - This type of bridge is connected to only one side of the abutment tooth. This is indicated in the case where there is only one abutment on one side of the edentulous site.
c) Maryland Dental Bridge or Resin-Bonded Bridge - These are used in the case where the anterior tooth is missing. These are made up of porcelain fused to metal or ceramic crown and are supported by a framework, and it has wings on either side of the bridge that bond to existing teeth.
d) Implant-Supported Bridge - In this type of bridge, implants are used instead of teeth for cementation to keep the bridge in place.
Removable Partial Denture - Removable partial dentures are used to replace missing teeth, and they can be taken out of the mouth for cleaning.
Dental Implants - Implants are screws to replace missing teeth; these are surgically placed in your jaw.
The type of replacement option will vary from case to case; consulting a dentist will help decide which option is good for you.
A dental bridge helps restore a smile, which gives a feeling of comfort and boosts self-confidence.
It helps to restore facial proportions which were disturbed because of missing teeth, and hence it restores facial esthetics.
Dental bridges restore the ability to chew and bite properly, which was hampered because of missing teeth so that there will be equal distribution of force on teeth.
As there will be a distribution of force on the teeth, there will not be any resorption of an underlying edentulous ridge or bone structure.
As the missing tooth is now replaced by a pontic, there will not be any drifting of adjacent teeth into edentulous space.
In the first visit for a dental bridge, abutment teeth are prepared. In this, some portions of enamel are removed with the help of burs (rotating tips) to create a room for placing a crown on a tooth or teeth. It is also known as crown preparation.
After crown preparation, the next step is to make an impression of the prepared tooth or teeth. Impressions are poured with dental stone, and models are prepared; these models are used as molds for the fabrication of bridges, pontics, and crowns, that will be prepared by a dental technician in a dental lab.
The temporary bridge is given till you get a permanent bridge from the lab that will act as a protective measure for gingiva and prepared tooth structure.
During the next visit, your temporary bridge will be removed, and the permanent bridge will be cemented in place and is checked for adjustment and proper fit.
Proper fit of the permanent bridge framework is checked so many times, and till that, you will be cemented with temporary cement for a few weeks, and then they are cemented with permanent cement once you are sure that it fits properly.
Last reviewed at:
03 Jan 2022 - 4 min read
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