preparing for unpredictable dental injuries

Posted on: 13 August 2015

Having missing teeth can affect your self-esteem and make eating difficult. Dental bridges are one option if you have a few missing teeth. If you are sick of your missing teeth and ready for a glamorous smile, check out these five important facts about dental bridges.

Dental Bridges Can Be Made From a Variety of Materials

Dental bridges can be made from many different materials, but the most common are metal and porcelain. Metal bridges aren't the most beautiful option, but they are the most durable, making them an excellent choice if you want a strong bite on your back teeth. Porcelain bridges do a near-perfect job of capturing the look of natural teeth, but they wear down and chip easier than metal. You could choose a porcelain-fused-to-metal bridge. They aren't as durable as metal, but they are stronger than all-porcelain bridges, and they don't sacrifice appearance.

A Cantilever Bridge Preserves Healthy Tooth Structure

The most common type of bridge replaces one or two missing teeth and requires the surrounding teeth to support the bridge. To do this, the teeth on each side of the gap are filed down to hold the bridge's supporting crowns. However, this process forever alters at least two of your teeth. Cantilever bridges preserve tooth structure because they are only attached to one adjacent tooth. Because of this, however, they aren't as strong, making them a poor option for your molars.

A Maryland Bridge Can Be Used as a Permanent or Temporary Solution

Another alternative over a traditional dental bridge is the Maryland bridge. With a Maryland bridge, instead of having a crown on each side, the pontic has a wing on each side. These wings are bonded to the adjacent teeth. The supporting teeth will need some micro-etching to create powerful hold, but they don't need to be ground down. Because Maryland bridges are less invasive, some patients use them as a temporary solution while they await a permanent dental implant. Even with a Maryland bridge in place, the gums and bone can heal, which is necessary to support the implant.

Larger Bridges Work Better as Implants

Whether you choose a traditional bridge, cantilever bridge or a Maryland bridge, they have their limitations. Constant pressure wears down the bond that holds the bridge in place. Smaller bridges withstand this pressure better because there is less force on the supporting teeth. However, the bigger the bridge, the more wear and tear on the supporting teeth, which is why larger bridges work better as implant-supported dentures. An implant-supported bridge uses implants instead of healthy teeth as the support structure, which makes the bridge smaller and more durable.

Dental Bridges Require a Little Extra Attention During Cleaning

When you have a bridge, it may seem like flossing will be easier. Because some of your teeth are attached to the surrounding teeth or implants, there's no space between them, which means you don't have to floss between those teeth. Unfortunately, bridges only sit on your gums, which means plaque and food particles can get stuck under the bridge. You'll need stiff floss or floss threaders that can get floss under the bridge. Failure to properly floss under your bridge increases the chance of bridge failure, decay or gum disease.  

Why are you struggling with missing teeth when it's possible to get a breathtaking Hollywood smile? With so many types of dental bridges, there is a perfect one for your needs. For more information about dental bridges, contact a dentist in your area and schedule a consultation. Find out how your smile can be transformed into the one you deserve. You can also visit sites like http://rosecitydental.com/ for more information.