An Overview of Dental Bridges to Replace Missing Teeth

Your teeth are parts of your mouth helping you with its primary functions of chewing, speaking, and supporting your jawbone and facial shape. Performing everyday tasks without teeth in your mouth becomes challenging. In addition, you become affected by several dental and medical health issues if you have missing teeth. Thankfully the invention of tooth replacement solutions such as dental bridges helps your teeth and mouth become functional.

What Are Dental Bridges, and When Are They Recommended?

Dental bridges are tooth replacement solutions consisting of a fake tooth called Pontic held by two dental crowns placed on the anchoring teeth beside the edentulous gap or implants. Porcelain helps make the Pontic give your dental bridge a realistic appearance and feel. Dental bridges are effective replacement solutions for missing teeth because they function and appear like your natural teeth. In addition, the replacement solutions are customized for every patient.

Different Kinds of Dental Bridges

If you need dental bridges for the teeth you miss, you can find different types of dental bridges in Brooklyn, NY, to suit your specific situation. The kinds of bridges available are:

• Traditional Dental Bridge: the most popular dental bridge suitable if you have two natural teeth beside the missing tooth gap is a conventional dental bridge. This solution consists of two dental crowns and a Pontic made from metal, porcelain fused to metal, or all metal to function as your missing tooth. The fake teeth are called pontics held by dental crowns on either side of the missing tooth gap.
• Cantilever Dental Bridges: Unfortunately, if you don’t have two natural teeth on both sides of a missing tooth, the dentist offers you a cantilever bridge supported by one dental crown on the abutment teeth. Although not as popular as traditional bridges, cantilever bridges prove financially beneficial because they need merely one dental crown and a Pontic.
• Maryland Dental Bridge: If you have lost a tooth in the aesthetic zone, the dentist in Brooklyn, NY, recommends a Maryland dental bridge with a framework of metal or porcelain to attach to the back of your abutment teeth. These bridges are excellent for the anterior region of your mouth.
• Implant Supported Bridges: If you want a durable solution remaining with you for life, you find no better option than implant-supported bridges held by dental implants functioning as abutment teeth with a dental bridge between them. However, you require surgery when getting implant-supported bridges and months of healing before you can get replacement teeth.

What Is the Procedure of Dental Bridges?

Getting dental bridges requires you to schedule two meetings with the Brooklyn dentist for tooth preparation and customization of your dental bridge.

During your first meeting, the dentist reshapes the abutment teeth to accommodate the dental crowns over them to support the Pontic. The process is uncomfortable, but you receive anesthesia near the teeth for relief. After reshaping your teeth, the dentist makes a mold of your mouth to have the dental bridge customized in a dental laboratory. Finally, you receive acrylic bridges to wear over the reshaped teeth for protection until the dental lab returns your permanent restoration.

The weeks later, you revisit the Brooklyn dentist to have your dental bridge fitted over your reshaped teeth. The dentist checks the permanent bridge for color and fit after removing your acrylic bridges and makes any adjustments if required before applying special dental cement to the crowns fitting over your abutment teeth with the dental bridge attached between them and bonds them to your natural teeth to function as your artificial tooth. The second appointment doesn’t cause much discomfort, but the dentist can provide local anesthesia if required.

Benefits of Dental Bridges

Dental bridges help restore your mouth functionality by allowing you to chew, speak, and smile without confronting any restrictions. The bridges prevent jawbone resorption that starts occurring soon after you experience tooth loss. Bridges are more secure than dentures and an affordable option than dental implants. Bridges also help prevent infections in the empty socket, which becomes a trapping point for food particles and bacteria to create conditions like tooth decay and gum disease.

Dental bridges are appropriate options for replacing missing teeth in any part of your mouth. Bridges last five to 15 years with proper dental care and routine meetings with your dentist for exams and cleanings. Therefore if you want to avoid the consequences of tooth loss and enjoy the benefits of dental bridges, you must contact New Leaf Dental — Brooklyn, NY, today before your face starts sagging because of jawbone deterioration.