What is a dental bridge?
A bridge is a fixed dental restoration used to replace a missing tooth by joining an artificial tooth permanently to adjacent teeth or dental implants.
A bridge is fabricated by reducing the teeth on either side of the missing tooth or teeth by a preparation pattern determined by the location of the teeth and by the material from which the bridge is fabricated. In other words, the abutment teeth are reduced in size to accommodate the material to be used to restore the size and shape of the original teeth in a correct alignment and contact with the opposing teeth. The dimensions of the bridge are defined by Ante's Law: "The root surface area of the abutment teeth has to equal or surpass that of the teeth being replaced with pontics".
Types Of Dental Bridges
Dental bridges have many advantages for people who are missing teeth as a result of dental disease, fractures or injury. If you maintain good oral hygiene and see your dentist regularly, a fixed dental bridge can last for approximately 10 years.
A dental bridge consists of dental crowns for the teeth anchoring either side of the bridge, and a false tooth (or teeth) between them. There are three main types of bridges:
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Traditional Bridge. This is the most common type, and it is usually made of ceramics or porcelain fused to metal.
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Cantilever Bridge. This style of bridge is used to accommodate situations where there are only teeth on one side of the gap where the bridge is placed.
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Maryland Bonded Bridge. This type of bridge consists of a porcelain tooth (or teeth) in a metal framework, with wings to attach it to existing teeth.
No matter what type of bridge you have, the success of a dental bridge depends in part on keeping the remaining surrounding teeth healthy, and that’s where a regular oral care routine of twice-daily tooth brushing and daily flossing comes in. Use a toothbrush with soft bristles or an interdental cleaner to clean around a bridge effectively, and choose floss that is designed to clean around bridges