There are so many different reasons for missing tooth or teeth, such as dental caries, accident, and loss of tooth caused by gum disease etc. The missing teeth need to be filled in time, otherwise many problems may occur, besides the aesthetic and pronunciation problems, your adjacent teeth will be looser, so your chewing ability will also be influenced. When there is one tooth or few teeth missing, the bridge may be a good choice to fill the cap.
What is Dental Bridge?
Types of Dental Bridge
Benefits of Dental Bridge
Dental Bridge VS Dental Implant
What is Dental Bridge?
Dental bridge is a procedure of dental restoration, dentists fix an or several artificial teeth, which are also called pontic, to neighbor teeth so as to replace missing teeth and fill the gap. The adjacent teeth which support the artificial are the abutment. The bridges are made up of several pieces, they need the support of natural or implant teeth by the side, and dentists may need to grind off a part of adjacent teeth to put the artificial teeth on. Therefore, not everyone is suitable for this procedure, quantity of missing teeth, health of the adjacent teeth and the surrounding tissue etc., all these factors will have an impact. Whether to use a dental bridge needs to follow the doctor’s advice.
Types of Dental Bridge
According to different ways to fix the artificial teeth, the dental bridges are divided into different types, there are 4 common types.
Traditional Fixed Bridge/Rigid fixed bridge This is the most common type. When the adjacent teeth of missing part are in good condition, dentists could make two crowns and put the artificial teeth in the middle, these pieces made of either porcelain fused to metal or ceramics will be stuck firmly. In most situations, doctors need to reshape the neighbor teeth to wear the dental crowns.
Cantilever Bridge When there is only one side of adjacent teeth in good situation, dentist could choose to make one dental crown connected with the artificial tooth, which means the neighbor side will support more pressure. The abutment is easier to twist or tlit, and this design is more likely to cause damage to the periodontal tissue. Therefore, cantilever bridge should be used carefully when the gap between missing teeth is small.
Semi-rigid Bridge A semi-fixed bridge has abutments and retainers at both ends, the retainer at one end is fixedly connected to the pontic, and the retainer at the other end is connected to the pontic by means of bolts and bolts, or movable joint. Because each abutment is connected by movable joints, it has independent physiological movement. The force of the abutment at both ends of the semi-fixed bridge is uneven.
Maryland Dental Bridge Maryland bridge don’t need to make crown or reshape your neighbor teeth, dentists will make “wings” on sides of artificial teeth( pontics) and adhere them to the back side of adjacent teeth. The Maryland bridge is not recommended for long-term use. It does not adhere to the surrounding teeth, which can easily cause tooth decay. Moreover, it cannot be subjected to any force, and it is easy to fall off. However, compared to invisible dentures, there is no damage to the mucosa and bone tissues, so it is currently the best material before dental implants.
These different types of bridge could be used in combination according to the patients’ condition, which is called compound fixed bridge.
Benefits of Dental Bridge
The bridge procedure is a good method to solve the problem caused by missing teeth. Therefore, it is able to restore your chewing ability very well. The dental bridge does not transmit the chewing force to the gums. The entire chewing process acts on the jawbone. Therefore, you can adapt to the dental bridge quickly without too much discomfort.
Besides, Dental bridge which looks like your original teeth could restore your natural appearance and avoid deformation of facial structure. At the meantime, it’s an efficient dental restoration, which won’t take too much time compared to dental implant or dentures.
Dental Bridge VS Dental Implant
Dental bridge and dental implant are both used to restore the missing teeth. How to choose between these two?
Dental implant need to place the abutment to your alveolar bone, it has more requirements for the physical conditions of patients. Besides, if the width/height or density of jawbone is insufficient, patients cannot accept dental implants. However, the dental teeth has more efficiency of chewing with the help of combination of jawbone and abutment. And you don’t need to wear your neighbor teeth to accept the dental implant.
All operations of dental bridge are done on the teeth and do not involve traumatic operations on the oral mucosa. Dental bridge costs less time and money than dental implant. But it have to adjust the healthy neighbor teeth, has more strong dependence on surrounding teeth.
Dental bridge has already become a common procedure, if you care for your bridge properly, it may last 5 to 7 years without complications. If there’re any problem, please see you dentist immediately.
Reference
[1] Dăguci, Constantin & Dăguci, Luminiţa & Popescu, Mihai Raul & Mercut, Veronica & Bătăiosu, Marilena & Pitru, Alma. (2012). Considerations on dental bridges’ stability and balance for mandibulary teeth with coronary-root amputation. Current health sciences journal. 38. 188-90.
