Dental Bridge

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Dental Bridge

Sometimes a tooth becomes so severely damaged due to decay, cracked teeth (Cavity Treatment and Prevention Page) or trauma that the area is too large to restore with a traditional filling. One option to replacing missing teeth when teeth exist on either side of the space is a bridge. Dental bridge (Bridges Page) helps to fill in gaps where teeth are no longer present. They literally bridge the gap created by one or more missing teeth (Missing Teeth? Discuss Tooth Implants With Your Santa Monica Dentist Page). If you have lost teeth or have had teeth removed, a bridge is important not only to preserve a beautiful smile (Cosmetic Dentistry Page), but also to prevent biting problems, shifting of the teeth, jaw problems, and even periodontal disease (Periodontal Diseases Page).

Bridge Can Be Supported In Any of Three WaysDental Bridge Image

  • By natural teeth
  • By implants
  • By a combination of teeth and implants

 

Benefits of Dental Bridge

  • Restore your smile
  • Restore the ability to properly chew and speak
  • Maintain the shape of your face
  • Distribute the forces in your bite properly by replacing missing teeth
  • Prevent remaining teeth from drifting out of position

 

Types of Dental Bridge

If you need bridges, you and your dentist can choose from three different types of bridges.

Dental Bridge Image“Maryland” Dental Bridge

This sort of bridge involves a filler which is attached to metal bands. The bands are attached to the teeth on either side of a gap and the bands are disguised using a tooth-colored composite (White Fillings | Dental Composite Fillings Page) resin. These bridges can disguise gaps quite naturally, which is why they are often used to replace front teeth.

Fixed Dental Bridge

This sort of bridge involves a filler tooth which is attached to two crowns (Dental Crown, When and How? Page). The dental bridge fits over the teeth on either side of the gap. This is the most commonly used sort of bridge.

Cantilever Dental Bridge

In cases where there are teeth only on one side of a gap, the Cantilever bridge is used. In this type of dental bridge, two crowned teeth are connected to a filler tooth (White Fillings: Your Santa Monica Dentist Can Make Your Smile its Best Page).