Dental Bridge

Dental bridges literally bridge the gap created by one or more missing teeth.

A bridge is made up of two or more crowns for the teeth on either side of the gap – these two or more anchoring teeth are called abutment teeth — and a false tooth/teeth in between. These can be made from gold, alloys, porcelain, or a combination of these materials. Dental bridges are supported by natural teeth or implants.

Bridges can:

• Restore your smile
• Restore the ability to properly chew and speak
• Maintain the shape of your face
• Distribute the forces in your bite properly by replacing missing teeth
• Prevent remaining teeth from drifting out of position

What Types of Dental Bridges Are Available?

There are the main types of dental bridges:

Traditional bridges involve creating a crown for the tooth or implant on either side of the missing tooth, with a pontic in between. Traditional bridges are the most common type of bridge and are made of either porcelain fused to metal or ceramics.

Maryland bonded bridges (also called a resin-bonded bridge or a Maryland bridge) are made of porcelain, porcelain fused to metal, or plastic teeth and gums supported by a metal or porcelain framework. Metal or porcelain wings often on just one side of the bridge are bonded to your existing teeth.

What Is the Process for Getting a Dental Bridge?

During the first visit for getting a dental bridge, the abutment teeth are prepared. Preparation involves recontouring these teeth by removing a portion of enamel to allow room for a crown to be placed over them. Next, impressions of the teeth are made, which serve as a model from which the bridge, pontic, and crowns will be made by a dental lab. Multiple visits may be required to check the fit of the bridge framework and bite. This is dependent on each individual case. If the dental bridge is a fixed bridge, your dentist may temporarily cement it in place for a couple of weeks to make sure it is fitting properly. After a couple of weeks, the bridge is cemented permanently.