All of your teeth play an important role in speaking, chewing, and maintaining proper alignment of other teeth. Tooth loss does not have to occur as you age. But if you do lose teeth, they must be replaced to maintain proper function of your mouth. Fortunately, there are options for correcting tooth loss.
A bridge — a device used to replace missing teeth — attaches artificial teeth to adjacent natural teeth, called abutment teeth. Bridges are either permanently attached (fixed bridges) or they can be removable (partial dentures).
Fixed bridges are bonded into place and can only be removed by a dental professional. Fixed bridges are applied by either placing crowns on the abutment teeth or by bonding the artificial teeth directly to the abutment teeth. Fixed bridges offer more stability than their removable counterparts
Removable bridges, as the name implies, can be taken out and cleaned. Removable bridges are held onto the natural teeth with metal clasps or by precision attachments.
If you're missing one or more teeth, you may already be aware of the changes to your appearance and dental health. Your teeth work together for many daily functions from eating to speaking. With missing teeth, it's difficult to do these things. Missing teeth can and should be replaced. Loss of teeth nearly always results in negative changes to appearance, function and stability. These changes are often slow to occur and often go unnoticed. But they will occur. Bridges are a great way to restore function and appearance and prevent the changes that can compromise your dental health.
Oral function and appearance are important reasons for wearing a bridge. A bridge improves your chewing ability and helps restore support to your lips and cheeks. The loss of a tooth may cause your mouth to sink and your face to look older.It can also shorten the life of your remaining teeth.
Dental health is the most important reason for a bridge. Teeth were designed to complement each other. Unusual stresses are placed on the gums and other oral tissues when teeth are missing, causing a number of potentially harmful disorders.
Increased risk of gum disease has proven to be one of the worst side effects of missing teeth and can be minimized with a bridge.
Missing teeth can cause speech disorders since your teeth are needed to make many of the sounds we use to speak clearly.
The entire procedure usually takes two or three appointments to complete. At the first appointment, your dentist will prepare (reshape) the teeth on either side of the gap by removing a portion of the enamel and dentin. Old filling material and any new decay is also removed.
Since the bridge must be fabricated very precisely to ensure correct bite and to match the opposing tooth, impressions of the teeth are taken and sent to the lab where the bridge will be constructed according to our specific prescription.
Fixed bridges are typically anchored to the natural teeth next to the space left by the missing tooth. A “pontic” (false tooth) replaces the lost tooth and is joined to your natural teeth (the “abutments”) with crowns (caps). The entire assembly is cemented onto the natural teeth which provide the necessary support for the bridge.
Bridges can be constructed from gold alloys, non-precious alloys, porcelain, or a combination of these materials. Porcelain is often bonded to either a precious or non-precious metal.
A strict regimen of brushing and flossing will keep the bridge and surrounding teeth clean. This is of critical importance since the bridge relies on the neighboring teeth for support. We will offer you tips, tools and techniques that will help insure years of problem-free reliability.