Dental Bridge: Types, Benefits, and After-Care

Do you have missing teeth in the anterior region of your mouth? Dental bridges can help restore the appearance of your teeth besides their functionality. The bridge helps close the gap left by the missing tooth. If you intend to repair the problem you confront, discuss the issue with the dentist in Trafalgar to understand whether dental bridges are suitable for your situation.

What Are Dental Bridges?

Dental bridges are solutions for replacing one or more missing teeth in your mouth. The bridge fills the gap left by the missing tooth with artificial teeth held by dental crowns attached to the natural teeth on either side of the missing tooth gap. The dental crowns help keep the artificial tooth in place.

Dental bridges help if you have a missing tooth or teeth from tooth decay, gum disease, or injury. Congenital conditions also leave people with missing teeth. If you intend to get dental bridges, you need to have healthy teeth on both sides of the missing tooth gap.

Benefits of Having Dental Bridges to Replace Missing Teeth

Your teeth are designed to function together, but if you have a missing tooth, the neighboring teeth begin shifting towards the vacant space left by the missing tooth. The teeth in your opposite jaw also move upwards or downwards towards the open space to cause bite problems, chewing difficulties, discomfort from the extra stress on your teeth and jaw, and self-consciousness about your smile and appearance. You can overcome these challenges comfortably by getting dental bridges near you to close the gap in your mouth to regain all liabilities you lost with your natural teeth. Isn’t that beneficial?

How Does a Dental Bridge Looks like?

Generally, a dental bridge has two dental crowns placed by the Trafalgar dentist on the neighboring healthy teeth to function as abutments, with an artificial tooth cemented between two close the gap cemented to the crowns.

Types of Dental Bridges

There are four types of dental bridges you can have. The Trafalgar dentist offers you a traditional dental bridge which is the most commonly available, with two dental crowns and a fake tooth attached between the two to keep the bridge in place. Metal, porcelain, or porcelain fused to metal help make traditional bridges.

The second variety is a cantilever bridge where the artificial tooth connects merely to one abutment tooth. It is an option you can consider if you have teeth on simply one side of the gap.

You can consider a Maryland bridge if you have missing front teeth. Porcelain fused to metal and ceramic teeth supported by frameworks helps make Maryland bridges with wings on both sides of the bridge to attach to your neighboring teeth.

Implant-supported bridges are similar to traditional fixed bridges. However, they are not cemented to the neighboring teeth but are held by dental implants.

You can discuss which replacement solution is best suited for your situation with the Trafalgar dentist before considering an option suited to your unique situation.

The Dental Bridge Procedure

When getting a dental bridge in Trafalgar, you typically need two dental visits spread over three weeks to have your artificial teeth customized in a dental laboratory.

During your first visit, your neighboring teeth are prepared to accommodate dental crowns over your natural teeth. Significant tooth structure removal is essential to accommodate the abutments in dental crowns. The procedure is uncomfortable, but you receive local anesthesia to ease your discomfort. You also accept temporary bridges over the prepared teeth after the dentist impressions them for the dental laboratory to custom create your dental bridge.

You must endure the temporary bridges for at least three weeks, after which you can revisit the dentist to have your permanent bridges placed in your mouth. During your second visit, the dentist starts the procedure by removing the temporary bridges and checks the permanent placements for color and fit. Then, if all things are acceptable, the dentist permanently cements your customized dental bridge over the prepared teeth with the artificial tooth bonding between them.

After-Care for Dental Bridges

Dental bridges require similar care like your natural teeth with regular brushing and flossing and six-monthly appointments with your dentist for exams and cleanings. You must pay particular attention to ensure no plaque accumulates below the dental bridge to ensure you remain free from gum disease. Therefore you must invest in tools helpful for plaque removal and make every effort to keep your mouth clean and healthy without any infections. If cared for appropriately, dental bridges last for over a decade before needing replacements.

If you think you must replace your missing teeth with dental bridges, why not schedule an appointment with Indian Creek Family Dentistry for an evaluation and to get the dental bridges as missing teeth replacements