Bridges

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Dental Bridge

The name ‘dental bridge’ was applied to this dental device because it literally bridges the gap which exists when a tooth is missing. The bridge itself is comprised of two or more anchoring teeth, situated on either side of the gap. These are known as abutment teeth.

In between the two abutment teeth, a false tooth would be installed where the gap exists. This would be the total solution for a missing tooth. The false tooth also has a special name (a pontic), and it can be made of porcelain, alloy, gold, or any combination of these materials.

Dental bridges are always supported by natural teeth which remain in the patient’s mouth.

Benefits of dental bridges in Ocoee, FL

Dental bridges can supply a number of benefits to the patient who has them installed.

For one thing, a bridge can restore your smile to its former state.
It can also restore your ability to chew foods in the proper manner.
It helps you to speak clearly without any speech impediments.
Once in place, a bridge can also make your face fill out to its proper shape.

This is because there won’t be a gap there to make the skin sink inward.

With a missing tooth fully replaced, the bite force in your mouth can once again be evenly distributed across all teeth. This means you won’t have an abnormal bite that causes excessive wear on one or more teeth.

There’s also one more important benefit of a bridge – it prevents the other teeth in your mouth from shifting out of position, toward the gap in your mouth. This can cause all your teeth to lean toward the gap, because support is missing for keeping them straight and in place.

Types of dental bridges

There are three primary kinds of dental bridges which are most frequently installed for patients who need to fill the gap left by a missing tooth:

Conventional bridge
Cantilever bridge
Resin-bonded bridge (sometimes referred to as Maryland bonded bridges)

In a conventional bridge, a crown is created for the implant or the tooth on both sides of the missing tooth, and the pontic is positioned in between them.

These are by far the most popular type of bridge issued today.
They will generally be made of ceramic material or of porcelain which is fused to some type of metal.

Cantilever bridges are generally used when there is only one side of a gap that has supporting teeth that can be used.

This type of bridge is not used when the missing tooth is situated in the back of the mouth.
That’s because it has a tendency to place too much pressure on other teeth in the area.
It has not been used as often in recent years for the same reason, so nowadays it is actually only used in special cases.

Resin-bonded bridges are sometimes referred to as Maryland bonded bridges, and these can be made in one of several different ways.

First, they can be made of porcelain, or they can be produced by fusing porcelain with metal.
They can even be made as plastic gums and teeth which are supported by a porcelain or metal framework.
Quite often, they will consist of porcelain or metal wings which are installed on a single side of the bridge, and which are bonded to nearby teeth.

How a dental bridge is installed

During a patient’s initial visit to Dr. Maitri Patel‘s Ocoee, FL dental clinic, the abutment teeth will be prepared for eventual usage in supporting the bridge. The teeth in your mouth will need to be contoured.

This process consists of scraping off some portion of the enamel so a crown can be placed over them.
Then an impression of your teeth will be made, and this impression will serve as a model from which your new crowns, pontic, and bridge will be produced in the laboratory.
While the bridge is being made, you will generally be provided with a temporary bridge that protects exposed gums and teeth.

On your next visit to Dr. Patel, the temporary bridge will be removed, and the finished bridge from the lab will be installed. At this time, any adjustments which are necessary can be performed so the bridge fits comfortably and naturally in the mouth.

To be sure that the bite and the metal framework are exactly right, it may be necessary to make several trips to the Ocoee, FL dental clinic. If the bridge is intended to be a permanent one, it will be cemented in place by Dr. Patel.

After a couple of weeks, it will be checked again to make sure it is still fitting properly, and at that time a more permanent cementing will be done.

Contact Us

Don’t hesitate to contact us at Dr. Maitri Patel’s Ocoee, FL dental clinic. We can help you determine whether a dental bridge is the right choice for restoring your smile after tooth loss.