Bridges

A dental bridge is a custom-made artificial tooth that is used to replace a missing tooth, it can also replace multiple missing teeth. The benefit of a dental bridge is that it’s fixed in place and can be made to look and feel like you were never missing a tooth! It will function exactly like a tooth and is very durable.

Your teeth are made to work together so you can eat, talk, and smile. If you lose a tooth and don’t replace it, there are a number of unpleasant things that can occur. Your teeth can begin to shift and can create spaces between the surrounding space. This can cause your teeth to become crooked and could even change your bite.

When you are missing teeth, you lose the supportive root structure that is vital to ensure your jawbone has the blood flow and nutrients it needs to thrive. Bone loss can even change the shape of your jaw and make you look older. Your teeth will also become harder to clean which could lead to gum disease and tooth decay.

The condition of the surrounding teeth and the position of the dental gap will determine what type of bridge is used. There are three types of dental bridges:

Fixed bridge- where a partial denture is secured into place by being cemented to the adjacent teeth.

Cantilever bridge- this bridge is where only one of the surrounding teeth is used to support the replacement tooth.

Resin-bonded- replaces your missing tooth by using a composite resin cement to secure the replacement tooth.

An implant-supported dental bridge could be an alternative to the traditional bridges. A traditional bridge sits on top of the gum line and since there is no tooth root to stimulate the jaw bone, it will eventually disintegrate. Once this process has begun it often leads to a situation where the bridge slips and will no longer fit properly. This slippage creates a gap that can allow plaque and bacteria into the jaw, this could eventually result in periodontal disease.

An implant-supported bridge is anchored by two dental implants. This allows us to preserve your natural teeth since they now won’t need to be shaved down and fit with dental crowns.