For someone who has lost one or more front teeth, smiling could become a thing of the past borne out of the embarrassment of flashing those gaps made by the missing teeth. However, people who are caught in this situation need not be trapped anymore as dental bridges can easily fill those gaps and restore the patient’s winning smile.
A dental bridge consists of two crowns on either side of the gap called abutment teeth and the false tooth in between them called the pontic. Abutments are cemented onto either natural teeth or implants while pontics are made either from porcelain, gold, alloys, or a combination of these materials.
Benefits of Dental Bridges
Aside from the aesthetic benefits of restoring a person’s smile, fixed bridges have a host of other benefits such as:
- Preventing the remaining teeth from drifting or moving out of position
- Restoring the function of chewing or speaking
- Maintaining the face’s shape
- Distributing the forces in your bite initially affected by the missing teeth
Deciding on What Type of Fixed Bridge to Get
After a dental examination, New Albany dentist Dr. Ronald Receveur can recommend to you which among the three types of fixed bridge is needed for your particular case. These are the:
- Traditional bridge – the most common type having two abutments and one pontic in between
- Cantilever bridge – a dental bridge that attaches to the adjacent teeth only on one end
- Maryland bonded bridges – made of plastic teeth and gums supported by metal wings on each side of the bridge that are bonded to existing teeth
Getting It Done
A fixed bridge usually takes two visits to your New Albany dental clinic. Dr. Receveur will prepare the abutment teeth, followed by the taking of an impression that will serve as the mold for the crown or bridge. The impression goes to a dental lab that will make the permanent crown or bridge in the material specified. Meanwhile, a temporary crown or bridge will be placed on the prepared tooth/teeth as the permanent one is being made. Once the permanent crown or bridge is already available, it will be cemented over the prepared tooth/teeth upon removal of the temporary one.
Call (812) 945-7645 to set an appointment with New Albany Implants today.