Your Ultimate Handbook to Dental Bridges: Unveiling Types, Benefits, and Key Considerations

Your Ultimate Handbook to Dental Bridges: Unveiling Types, Benefits, and Key Considerations
August 1, 2023

When you miss teeth, dentists can bridge the gaps using dental bridges. Dental bridges are false teeth (pontics) positioned in place by the teeth on either side of the missing tooth gap.

Although different materials help make pontics, dentists use porcelain to make them appear natural in your mouth. Keep reading this ultimate Handbook to dental bridges if you need replacements for your natural teeth.

Unveiling Bridge Types

You can have four kinds of dental bridges traditional, cantilever, Maryland, and implant-supported.

  • Traditional Dental Bridges: Traditional dental bridges consist of artificial teeth positioned in place by dental crowns bonded on the abutment teeth. Traditional bridges are famous because they are helpful when you have natural teeth on both sides of the edentulous gap left by your natural tooth.
  • Cantilever Dental Bridges: Although similar to traditional bridges, the false tooth in a cantilever bridge is positioned by a dental crown bonded on one abutment tooth. If considering a cantilever bridge, you need one natural tooth next to the empty void left by the missing tooth.
  • Maryland Dental Bridge: Maryland dental bridges are also similar to conventional bridges. They need two natural abutment teeth without dental crowns to hold them in place. This is because Maryland bridges use a metal or porcelain framework bonded to the abutment teeth’ rear. Like traditional bridges, Maryland bridges are best used when having a natural tooth on either flank of the void left by the missing tooth.
  • Implant-Supported Dental Bridge: Implant-Supported dental bridges require dental implants instead of crowns or frameworks. An implant is embedded for every missing tooth by the dental clinic near you to hold the bridges in position. If you cannot have one implant for every missing tooth, the dentist can suspend a Pontic between two implant-supported crowns.

Implant-supported bridges are regarded as the most durable and stable system and require two surgeries to embed the implant in your jawbone and a second surgery for placing the dental bridge. Unfortunately, you may need several months for the procedure to complete.

Benefits of Dental Bridges

When you miss natural teeth, it impacts your smile and mouth functionality. Your adjacent teeth start drifting toward the vacant void to cause misalignment in your mouth. In addition, your jawbone starts deteriorating to change your facial shape. The empty gap in your mouth becomes a breeding ground for food particles and bacteria to remain trapped and create infections. However, when you replace lost teeth with dental bridges, they help you by offering a natural-looking solution for missing teeth to restore chewing and speech functionality and prevent the adjacent teeth from drifting toward the gap left by the missing tooth.

Critical Considerations Before Getting Dental Bridges

If you desire dental bridges to replace missing teeth, the dentist in Bradford, Ontario, will consider several factors, including your age, the number of missing teeth, the gap size, the condition of your natural teeth adjacent to the gaps, the general health of your teeth and gums, and your personal preferences.

The Dental Bridges Procedure

The dental bridge procedure varies according to your preferred dental bridge.

You will receive local anesthesia for comfort for traditional or cantilever bridges during your dental bridge procedure. The Bradford dentist will reshape your abutment teeth by removing tooth enamel past the dentin. They will take impressions of the reshaped tooth for the dental laboratory, where a technician will use them to create your dental bridge.

If you need a single-tooth Bridge, the dentist prepares your teeth for metal or porcelain wings and takes impressions of the tooth for the dental laboratory. After your bridges are ready in approximately three weeks, you can revisit dental bridges in Bradford, ON, for placement as your replacement teeth.

If you have chosen implant-supported bridges, you must endure the surgical process for embedding implants in your jawbone and wait until you recover before the dentist has customized porcelain crowns created for you by the dental laboratory to fit over the implant.

How Long Do Dental Bridges Last?

The average lifespan of dental bridges is approximately five to 15 years. However, with proper caring maintenance, you can extend the longevity of the replacement teeth. Dentists refer to them as permanent bridges because they are the only professionals who can remove them. However, dental bridges are not permanent and will need replacements if they sustain damage or wear.

Whether you are missing a single tooth or several teeth, different replacement options are available with the nearby dentist. Getting replacements for your missing teeth is essential to avoid the consequences of tooth loss. If you think dental bridges best suit your needs, consider meetingĀ South Simcoe Dental CareĀ for the replacements you need. The dental practice offers different types of dental bridges to satisfy your goal of avoiding the consequences of tooth loss.

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