People’s teeth, if not cared for properly, will not last. If you do not take care of your teeth, you can suffer from cavities, gingivitis, dental decay, periodontal disease, abscesses and tooth loss. Losing a tooth can be extremely distressing. People usually focus on the aesthetics of the teeth, but they often forget that missing teeth can potentially impair the way they speak, allow other teeth to drift out of their position, thus damaging the bite. Today there are several solutions to resolve the missing teeth problem, such as implants, Snap-On Smiles, flippers, and bridges. In this article, you will learn about one of these options, the bridge.
What is a dental bridge?
To fill the gap created by the missing tooth, a small device is attached to the neighbouring natural teeth or implants. This small device is a dental bridge, and it has a pontic (replacement tooth) that looks identical with the patient’s natural teeth, both in colour and in shape. With the help of a dental bridge, your smile will significantly improve, your speaking ability will be restored, and eating will not be a burden anymore. In addition to all this, by wearing a dental bridge, you prevent all your other teeth from shifting in your mouth. Dental bridges are a common long-term solution for people with missing teeth.
How does a dental bridge work?
The teeth neighbouring the gap will serve as anchors for the dental bridge. The best part of this is that the neighbouring teeth can either be your natural teeth, but also implants. On both teeth, crowns will be placed, which will be attached to the pontic that fills the gap. The pontic and the crowns will be custom created so they match the colour of your natural teeth and their shape. That is why it is hard to realise if someone wears a dental bridge or not. Once the crown is cemented, the bridge will become sturdy for years to come. It is quite frequent for people to wear their bridges their whole life.
What is the process?
On your first visit to your dentist or orthodontist, they will prepare the teeth neighbouring the gap. These teeth will be shaved down to make room for the crowns. Afterwards, the specialist will make an impression of the shape of your teeth that will be the model for the crowns, pontic and the bridge.
On the second visit, the bridge is positioned and permanently cemented into place. Most of the times the bridge will need to be adjusted a little bit to perfectly fit your mouth. That is why, if the bridge work does not feel comfortable at first, just tell you dentist or orthodontist, and they will make it fit.
Your life wearing a bridge
Wearing a bridge does not only look natural, but it also feels natural. After a while, you will even forget that you are wearing a dental bridge. Furthermore, you will not have to make any significant adjustments to your daily routine. You just have to have a good oral health care and pay attention not to chew on hard foods or objects with your dental work. Brush your teeth twice a day, floss regularly, and visit your orthodontist and dentist for periodically for check-ups and cleanings.
For more information about dental bridges, you can ask you dentist or orthodontist.
