Dental Bridges
Dental bridges are procedures that help restore damaged teeth. It is basically a false tooth custom-made for patients who have missing tooth or teeth so that they can have a natural-looking smile. It is often anchored to the teeth adjacent to the missing tooth.
Once they are in place, they can last for 10 to 15 years as long as you maintain good oral hygiene as well as visit your dentist regularly.
Types of Dental Bridges
Dental bridges are made from different materials that include metal and porcelain. The type of dental bridge used will depend on where your missing tooth is located. Below are the types of bridges used by dentists.
​
Fixed bridge: This type of bridge fills gaps by connecting an artificial tooth in between two crowns. The crowns are used to support the bridge and are then cemented to the teeth that are adjacent thus making the bridge look and feel natural. This type of bridge is permanent.
Maryland bridge: This type of bridge is used for the front teeth. A resin is used to bond the bridge. Moreover, it uses metal wings to attach to the artificial tooth.
Cantilever bridge: This type of bridge is similar to the fixed bridge. However, it is bonded only to a single tooth.
​
How Is It Done?
Before bridges are installed, the dentist needs to file down two healthy teeth in order to prepare them for the bridge. If you don’t have adjacent healthy teeth, your dentist may suggest giving you an implant. Once the healthy teeth are prepared, the dentist will take impressions of your teeth to create a mold. The mold will be used to create a permanent bridge. Meanwhile, as the bridge is being created, temporarily, your dentist will fit a temporary one to safeguard the exposed teeth. The permanent bridges are cemented once it is ready.