BRIDGES

It’s important that a tooth always has an opposing tooth or partner to work with. If not the surrounding and opposing teeth will begin to shift out of alignment. In dentistry, the term, bridge, is used for a device that spans the gap after a tooth has been lost due to trauma, decay, periodontal disease or extraction.

A fixed bridge can replace one or more missing teeth. It consists of one or more replacement teeth attached to crowns that are placed on two or more supporting teeth. A fixed bridge will maintain the tooth position, preventing drifting and collapsing of your jaws. Usually, a fixed bridge is made of a white gold and porcelain.

Bridges are custom made in the dental laboratory to exacting specifications. A bridge usually involves at a minimum, three teeth. First, teeth on either side of the gap are prepared for crowns that act as anchors. An artificial tooth is crafted to fill the gap, and is attached to adjacent crown teeth for stability and completes the bridge. This new unified three tooth bridge is cemented to the prepared teeth and restores your natural bite.

(Bridges look just like your other teeth)

Bridges may be made of gold and other precious metals, a semi-precious metal alloy and tooth colored porcelain, or entirely of porcelain if esthetics are a consideration.

Without a bridge to fill the gap, teeth will begin to tilt, shift, and drift, causing an unstable environment, and potential difficulties. The mouth is an intricate instrument of nature. You have upper and lower jaws designed to work in pairs, and you have upper and lower teeth. If a tooth is lost, its partner becomes non-functional for biting and chewing. A bridge restores a natural stable environment and helps all teeth to function properly.

A popular option to a bridge is the placement of a dental implant which replaces your natural tooth and root. Ask us if this is an option for you.

Just like your natural teeth, a bridge must be brushed and flossed daily to maintain good dental health.