Sometimes patients lose teeth and are looking for ways to restore a complete and healthy smile. A cost-effective alternative to having a dental implant applied to restore the missing tooth is a dental bridge.
What is a dental bridge?
The main purpose of a dental bridge is to fill in the gap where teeth are missing. Essentially, a dental bridge is produced by fusing an artificial tooth (i.e., replaces the missing tooth) between 2 crowns. Dental bridges can be broken down into fixed and removable bridges and differ by the way each type of bridge is secured within the tooth gap. Our dentist will recommend which type of bridge is most suitable to your dental needs and lifestyle.
Briefly, fixed bridges can be applied through the use of crowns or implants. A crowned bridge is suitable for patients looking to fill a tooth gap that resides between two healthy looking and functioning teeth. For a crowned bridge, the teeth that surrounding the tooth gap are shaved down and prepared for a dental crown (intra-site link?). The dental crowns that are placed on the neighbouring teeth are bonded to an artificial tooth that fits within the tooth gap. In this context, your artificial tooth is anchored to the crowns placed on the neighbouring teeth. An implant bridge is suitable for patients looking to fill a tooth gap that resides between two other missing or significantly unhealthy teeth. For an implant bridge, the neighbouring teeth are prepared for dental implants (intra-site link?). After the dental implants have been surgically embedded, a custom-made bridge is developed that fuses the artificial “missing” tooth with the dental implant crowns. In this context, an implant bridge is a hybrid approach that uses the technology of a dental crown and a dental implant to replace a missing tooth.
A removable bridge is simply an artificial tooth that is bridged to your natural teeth using metal clasps or with precision attachments.
How should I care for my dental bridge?
Typical care of a dental bridge includes practice of standard dental hygiene, which means to brush at least twice a day, frequently floss, and schedule your biannual dental cleanings. If done properly, dental bridges can last for 10 years. Call us today at (204) 560-4500 if you are interested in having a damaged or missing tooth replaced with a dental bridge.