Dental Bridges

The ability to bite into food and chew it properly depends a lot on the way your teeth work together in alignment. If you have healthy teeth trying to work without the proper teeth above or below them, chewing completely is a real challenge; those healthy teeth will also be at risk of wearing out prematurely and/or being moved out of proper alignment. A dental bridge puts opposing teeth in place for your healthy teeth to work within the process of eating.

You may feel that you rely mostly on your tongue to speak but, without your teeth, your tongue would have a hard time getting much across to people. Think of the sounds that rely on your teeth: D, L, N and T are the essential “dental consonants,” but F, S, TH and V all rely heavily on your teeth, as well. If your ability to speak clearly has been diminished by missing teeth, a bridge could put you back on the path to clear, crisp diction.

Take a moment to feel the way your lips rest against your teeth. The same is true about facial tissue all around your upper and lower teeth. If teeth were to go missing, your facial tissue could begin moving into the space where teeth once held it in position,even causing you to start biting your cheek. In a situation like that, a bridge can replace the pressure against the facial tissue, helping to maintain the shape of your face.

In addition to helping one another bite and chew properly, teeth work together in maintaining one another’s position in the mouth. A tooth that is missing a neighbor on one side, can eventually begin leaning into the gap beside it, which can in turn cause alignment trouble for the teeth it is moving away from. In this case, a bridge can replace missing teeth in our smile while also restoring the support neighboring teeth need to maintain their proper position.

Most people who have a bridge have what is known as a traditional bridge—one or more artificial teeth connected to dental crowns that sit over the healthy teeth on either side of the gap being corrected. It’s a strong and reliable fix, but it does require removing the enamel from the teeth being crowned, in order for the crowns to fit.

When there is only one healthy tooth available to be crowned as the anchor for the bridge, a cantilever bridge will be considered. The basic process is the same, except that the dentist only needs to remove enamel from one tooth. The decision on whether or not to use a cantilever bridge is based on factors, including how much pressure will be put on the bridge and how much support the dentist decides the artificial teeth need from the anchor crown. In some cases, two side-by-side teeth may be prepared for crowns in order to provide stronger support for the artificial teeth in the bridge.

When only one tooth is being replaced, and a less invasive solution than the traditional bridge is called for, a Maryland bridge fits the bill. Rather than connecting an artificial tooth to dental crowns, a Maryland bridge is made by attaching a single artificial tooth to strip of metal, which is then bonded to the backs of the healthy teeth on either side of the gap. Among the benefits of a Maryland bridge: no removal of enamel from neighboring teeth and no dental crowns to be made. The disadvantage lies in the fact that the material used to cement the Maryland bridge into place is the only thing anchoring the artificial tooth in place. Depending on how much pressure the artificial tooth receives, the cement could give out over time.

This isn’t purely a bridge but it is an option worth mentioning. It’s a bridge combined with oral surgery. The first step in getting this type of bridge is to have an dental specialist put dental implant posts through the gum and into the jaw. The number of posts will be decided by your dentist and your specialist. For example, two implant posts may be put in place and used as the anchor points for placing the dental crowns to which the artificial teeth of the bridge are attached. The chief benefit of this type of bridge is its strength, since the implants are firmly anchored into the jaw.