What is a Dental Bridge?
By: Ken HurtTotal Views: 253, Word Count: 574,
Gaps in the mouth are created by one or more than one missing teeth. A dental bridge helps in bridging or covering the gaps. Dental gaps in ones mouth can occur at any age, due to a childhood fall or an accident.
What is a dental bridge?
A Dental bridge is a fixed partial denture, which fills up missing teeth. A patient cannot remove a dental bridge, since a bridge consists of two porcelain crowns for the teeth on both the sides. The teeth which are on the sides of the bridge are called the abutment teeth. The natural teeth which are on the sides of the false teeth support the false teeth.
Pontics which are the false teeth are made from porcelain, alloys, gold or a mixture of these metals.
Types of dental bridges-
Fixed dental bridges: Fixed dental bridges make use of the two teeth which are on the side to support the false tooth. The pontic is anchored with the help of the surrounding teeth. In the case of fixed dental bridges porcelain crowns are bonded to the adjacent teeth with a pontic in the centre which is placed to fill the gap of the missing tooth. Fixed dental bridges are considered to be strongest kind of dental bridges.
Bonded dental bridges: A bonded dental bridge is useful, when the gap in your teeth, is not too much under stress like the front area in the mouth. This category of dental bridge does not require the usage of porcelain crowns. In the case of bonded dental bridges the pontic or the false tooth is held in place with the help of two metal wings which are bonded to the back area of the teeth on both the sides of the gap. Bonded dental bridges require much less work on the existing teeth in the mouth. A bonded dental bridge is not as strong as a fixed dental bridge and would require your supporting teeth to be healthy to support the pontic.
Cantilever dental bridge: These dental bridges are used in the mouth, which do no bear much stress. A cantilever dental bridge unlike the bonded and fixed dental bridge does not require two natural teeth to support the false teeth. This dental bridge calls for only one natural tooth on one side of the gap for support.
Some benefits of using dental bridges are-
- Dental bridges help in maintaining the shape of ones face.
- Reinstates your ability to speak and chew properly.
- Bridges aid in dispensing the forces in the bite appropriately by replacing the missing teeth.
- Restores one smile
- Wards off the remaining teeth from getting out of position
Dental bridges are a perfect option to distribute the force of your bite, maintain the shape of you jaw line and protecting the remaining teeth in the mouth from getting out of their position. With the coming in of dental bridges you can perfect your smile along with a better ability to chew food and speak clearly.
About the Author
Dr. Ken Hurt is a well known dentist and has been in this field since 1995. He is graduated in doctor of dental medicine from London University. His interest lies in cosmetic dentistry, gum and teeth replacement, children dentistry, drug therapy, psychology in dentistry, oral surgery and pathology.
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