If you have a gap between your teeth, dental bridges can be an optimal solution. Dental bridges are designed to bridge the gap between missing teeth and are composed of two or more crowns on either side of the gap. Bridges help maintain a person’s face shape, keep their teeth from moving to new positions, make chewing easier, and can provide many other benefits.
What Types of Dental Bridges Are Available?
There are several options for dental bridges, including the following:
- Traditional bridges involve placing a crown on either side of the missing tooth and an artificial tooth in between. This is the most common type of bridge and is typically made of porcelain fused to metal or ceramics.
- Cantilever bridges may be used when there are adjacent teeth on just one side of the missing tooth. This type of bridge is less common and is not recommended near the back of the mouth as it can have too much force and damage other teeth.
- Maryland bonded bridges are typically made of either porcelain or porcelain fused to metal. The metal or porcelain wings are often on just one side of the bridge and are fused to the patient’s existing teeth.
What is the Procedure for Getting a Dental Bridge?
The first visit for getting a bridge is used to prepare the patient’s abutment teeth. This preparation involves recontouring the teeth and removing some enamel to make room for the crown. Next, impressions of the teeth are made. This serves as a model from which the bridge, pontic, and crowns will be made. The dentist will also provide a temporary bridge for the patient to wear while the bridge is being made. During the second visit, the temporary bridge is removed, and the new bridge is adjusted to achieve a proper fit.
What Are the Benefits of Dental Bridges?
There are many benefits that patients experience when getting dental bridges. These benefits include the following:
- Restore your smile and confidence
- Easier ability to chew and speak
- Maintain your face’s natural shape
- Distribute the forces in your bite by replacing missing teeth
- Prevent remaining teeth from shifting out of position
Ask a Fountain Hills Dentist About Dental Bridges
To learn more about dental bridges, how they work, or to find out whether this option is right for you, contact a dentist in Fountain Hills today. The team at Parkview Dentistry will answer all of your questions and schedule an appointment to start the dental bridge process and put the days of missing teeth behind you.