A dental bridge is an effective restorative dentistry treatment to replace missing teeth and restore both the appearance and functionality of your smile. The dental team at Allen Dental Center offer several different types of dental bridges to treat patients who need teeth replaced due to tooth loss or extensive damage or decay. The process to receive a dental bridge in Allen, TX is simple and will be completed by our highly skilled dentists.
What is a Dental Bridge?
A dental bridge is a dental restoration that replaces missing teeth. A bridge is custom made to meet the patients’ needs so it can replace one tooth or several consecutively missing teeth. A typical bridge is made up the false teeth, called the pontics, and dental crowns. They are fused together to create a single dental restoration. A bridge is anchored to adjacent teeth or dental implants.
Why Do I Need a Dental Bridge?
If you have missing teeth or teeth that require extraction, you will need to replace them. This is necessary for your well-being and your health. There are several reasons why your dentist may recommend a dental bridge.
- Restore oral function: A dental bridge will help you bite and chew your foot more efficiently. This is better for your health and digestion. It will also restore your ability to speak properly.
- Keep teeth from shifting: Gaps along the arches from the missing teeth will cause the remaining teeth to shift and lead to misalignment. A dental bridge will help maintain proper alignment and prevent the many oral health issues that come along with misalignment.
- Distributing Bite Forces: Bite forces are not distributed evenly when teeth are missing. When a dental bridge is placed, it prevents excessive pressure on remaining teeth.
- Improve your smile: Gaps in your smile can be embarrassing. A dental bridge can fill in those gaps, enhance the appearance of your smile, and boost your self-confidence.
Different Types of Dental Bridges
Depending on your oral health need, we will recommend one of the following dental bridges:
Traditional Bridge
This is the most common type of dental bridge. It is made up of pontics and dental crowns. The dental crowns are secured to adjacent anchor teeth to support the entire prosthesis. These anchor teeth must be reduced in size significantly to accommodate the crowns.
Cantilever Bridge
This type of dental bridge is similar to the traditional bridge. Your dentist will use it when there is only one adjacent tooth available for support instead of two. It is made up of pontics and a single dental crown on one side. The dental crown is secured to one anchor tooth that is reduced in size and will support the prosthesis.
Maryland Bridge
A Maryland bridge is a conservative prosthesis that uses uses metal or porcelain wings bonded to the back of adjacent teeth for support. The adjacent teeth do no need to be altered.
Implant-Supported Bridge
Dentists use implant-supported bridges to replace multiple missing in a row. Instead of securing the crown portion of the dental bridge to adjacent teeth, it is secured to dental implants. The implant fixtures are surgically placed in the jawbone for a durable solution to tooth loss. This type of bridge offers exceptional stability, longevity, and preserves the integrity of neighboring healthy teeth.
How to Care for Your Dental Bridge
To ensure that your dental bridge lasts a long time and functions correctly, you must take proper care of it. Surprisingly, caring for your bridge is similar to caring for your natural teeth. We recommend doing the following:
- Brush your Teeth Daily: You need to brush your teeth at least twice a day, if not more. You should use a soft bristle toothbrush and a nonabrasive toothpaste to keep plaque from accumulating.
- Floss Daily: Cleaning between your teeth and around the dental bridge is very important. You will need to make sure that you also floss under the bridge as food and debris can get stuck there. You can use interdental brushes or other special dental tools to accomplish this.
- Regular Dental Check-ups: Visiting your dentist is very important. Your teeth will be professional cleaned and we will also examine your dental bridge to make sure it is functioning properly. If there are any issues, we can address them promptly.
The Downside to Dental Bridges
While dental bridges offer many benefits, it is important to understand the downside to choosing this tooth replacement solution. A dental bridge will require permanently reducing the anchor teeth in size. Essentially, you are damaging healthy teeth to replace teeth.
Taking care of your oral health is very important. Failing to do so can result in tooth decay or gum disease which can cause the teeth anchoring the bridge to rot or fail. When this happens, the whole bridge will fail and we will have to remove it.
A dental bridge does not replace the teeth at the root. Over time, the underlying bone will slowly degrade cause the bridge to loosen or not fit properly anymore. The only way to avoid this is to replace your missing teeth with dental implants. They are the only missing teeth solution that will replace the tooth at the root and prevent bone loss.
If you suffer from missing teeth, we can provide you with a custom dental bridge in Allen, TX. Please call 972.640.7564 to book and appointment or you can also request an appointment online by filling out the form.