Dental Bridges: Who Needs Them, Pros and Cons

Missing teeth impact your appearance and the functionality of your teeth. If you need replacements for missing teeth, one option you can consider is dental bridges near you. This solution bridges the gap left by your missing tooth to restore your smile and ensure you don’t suffer the consequences of tooth loss.

Dental Bridges Explained

When you have one or more teeth missing, dental bridges can close the gap with one or more false teeth. Bridges are created from crowns on either side of the missing tooth supporting a fake tooth (pontic) that is bonded in place using dental cement.

You might need a dental bridge if you have a missing tooth or teeth. Tooth decay, gum disease, and injuries are the most familiar reasons for missing. However, if you want a dental bridge to close the gap between your teeth, having healthy teeth on either flank of the missing tooth gap is essential.

Why Do Dental Bridges Become Essential?

Your teeth function together in unison, and the neighboring teeth begin drifting towards the vacant space when you have a missing tooth. Your teeth in the opposite jaw can also move upwards or downwards towards the empty gap. The movement of your teeth cause bite problems, challenges when chewing, and discomfort from additional stress on your teeth and jaw besides self-consciousness about your appearance.

How Do Dental Bridges Appear?

Dental bridges near you typically have abutment teeth in the form of dental crowns placed on the teeth beside the missing tooth gap placed by dentists. Your natural teeth or dental implants can represent abutments. The false tooth or teeth close the gap by attaching to the dental crowns.

What Kind of Bridges Can You Have?

You can have four varieties of Bridges depending on the tooth loss affecting you.

• You can consider all connected traditional fixed bridges with two crowns and a filler tooth. The crowns help hold the bridge in place. Metals, porcelain fused to metal, and ceramic help make traditional pieces.
• If you have merely one natural tooth beside the edentulous gap you
• can consider a cantilever bridge offered by the dentist near me because this variety requires just one abutment tooth instead of two.
• If you have missing front teeth, the dentist offers you Maryland dental bridges created from porcelain fused to metal or ceramic and supported by a framework with wings on both sides of the bridge to bond with your natural teeth.
• If you want a durable solution for your missing teeth, dental bridges in Newton Falls, OH, recommend implant-supported bridges held by dental implants instead of your natural teeth.

After choosing the variety suitable for your situation, you must schedule two appointments with the Newton Falls dentist to have your missing teeth replaced.

Dental Bridge Procedure

During your first appointment for abutment teeth preparation, the dentist removes some enamel and dentin to make space for the dental crown. They impression your teeth for the dental laboratory to create your dental bridge, fake teeth, and crowns. You receive an interim bridge to protect the exposed areas in your mouth while the laboratory fabricates your dental bridge.

Your second appointment is for the dental bridge placement when you can have replacement teeth in your mouth. The procedure starts with the dentist removing the temporary placements and checking the permanent bridge for fit. The dentist makes any adjustments if required to ensure the bridge fits you comfortably before cementing it in place to function as your artificial tooth.

Pros of Dental Bridges

Dental bridges help your bite and prevent the remaining teeth from drifting out of place to create a misalignment in your mouth. Besides restoring your smile, they also restore your chewing and speaking ability. The restoration also provides you the confidence to move around in public without trying to hide your smile.

Cons of Dental Bridges

As artificial tooth replacements, dental bridges last for several years without complications when you maintain appropriate dental hygiene. Unfortunately, if the supporting teeth decay or the dental cement deteriorates, the dental bridge becomes loose and fails.

After getting dental bridges, you must care for them because their success depends on the health of your remaining teeth. Therefore, you must maintain excellent tooth and gum care by brushing twice daily, flossing at least once, and having a balanced diet by including fruits, vegetables, and fiber and limiting chewy foods like meats.

You must also see your dentist frequently for exams and cleanings to ensure no plaque accumulates beneath the dental bridge or the crowns.

Holpuch Dental provides dental bridges as replacements for missing teeth to help you benefit from the substitute. You can avoid the consequences of tooth loss by scheduling an appointment with this practice to understand which dental bridge best suits your needs.