Dental Bridges: Closing the Gaps in Your Smile

Dental bridge is also known as a pontic. It is a false tooth which is placed in between two porcelain crowns. This fills an area left by a missing tooth or teeth. The two crowns holding the pontic in place is called fixed bridge. It cannot be removed from your mouth unlike removable partial dentures. Bridges have lots of advantages such as less risk of gum disease, correcting bite problems and improving speech.

The candidates for bridges are those who are missing teeth but with strict adherence to good oral hygiene practices. This is much needed in order to prevent tooth decay and gum diseases. If all goes well with a person who uses bridges, it may last up to ten years or more.

The dental bridge is placed by the cosmeticdentist using anesthesia to numb the area. The teeth on each side of the area may be removed to facilitate the placement of crown. When these teeth already have fillings, part of it may remain as is to serve as foundation of the crown.

After that, the dentist will do an impression. Then, the dental laboratory will be the one to make the bridge, false teeth, and crowns, based on the impression of the cosmetic dentist. As you wait for your next visit for your permanent bridge, a temporary bridge is what you are going to wear in order to protect your teeth and gums.

A Flipper may also be utilized for you in place of your missing tooth before the permanent bridge is fixed. It is attached with wire or plastic piece in the roof of your mouth.

When you come back for next visit, your new permanent bridge is then attached for fitting and checking for bite discrepancies. Then, it will be cemented to your teeth.