You no longer have to suffer through the embarrassment or difficulties of having gaps in your smile due to missing teeth. Dentists are able to restore smiles using dental bridges, which replace your missing tooth or teeth in a completely natural looking and comfortable way. If you have gaps in your smile from losing teeth to infection, decay, or trauma, it’s time to learn how to bridge those gaps.
What is a bridge?
A dental bridge does exactly what it conjures up in your mind; it bridges the gap where a tooth or teeth are missing. The bridge consists of two caps (also called crowns) and a false tooth. The bridge is permanently placed next to teeth on both sides of the artificial tooth. Once in place, the bridge allows you to eat, speak, and look as if you have natural teeth.
Are there different kinds?
There are three primary types of bridges:
- Traditional bridges, made of porcelain, are fixed in place so that they cannot be removed from your mouth.
- Cantilever bridges are used when there is only one natural tooth next to the gap in your mouth.
- Maryland bonded bridges, or resin-bonded bridges, are mostly used for missing front teeth. They are ideal when the surrounding teeth are healthy and strong.
How can it benefit me?
In addition to the obvious advantage of making your smile look more attractive, dental bridges can also help you eat more efficiently and comfortably. Your speech will likely improve, and your bite may also be corrected. With proper oral hygiene, bridges help lower your risk of gum disease and prevent teeth from moving into the gaps that were there before. The bridge process itself usually only requires two dental visits, and is less invasive than some other procedures.
