At Driftwood Dental, we offer dental bridges to help restore proper function in your smile.
Replacing Missing Teeth
Tooth loss doesn’t necessarily have to occur as you age, but if you do lose teeth, they must be replaced to maintain proper function of your mouth. A dental bridge is a good solution to help you bridge the gap in your smile. All of your teeth play an important role in speaking, chewing and in maintaining proper alignment of other teeth and the shape of your facial features.
Fixed & Removable Bridges
With missing teeth, it’s difficult to do these things. Missing teeth can and should be replaced. Fixed bridges are a great way to restore your dental health and appearance.
Fixed bridges are applied by either placing crowns on the abutment teeth or by bonding the artificial teeth directly to the abutment teeth. Removable bridges are attached to the teeth with metal clasps or by precision attachments
What exactly is a bridge or fixed partial denture?
A bridge (fixed partial denture) is a device which fills the gaps where teeth are absent. Fixed bridges are bonded into place and can only be removed by a dental professional. Removable bridges, as the name implies, can be taken out and cleaned. Fixed bridges offer more stability than their removable counterparts.
Why do I need a bridge?
Oral functionality and appearance are important reasons for wearing a bridge. A bridge helps support your lips and cheeks. The loss of a back tooth may cause your mouth to sink and your face to look older.
Dental health is the most important reason for a bridge. Teeth were designed to complement each other. Unusual stresses are placed on the gums and other oral tissues when teeth are missing, causing a number of potentially harmful disorders.
Increased risk of gum disease has proven to be one of the side effects of missing teeth and can be minimized with a bridge. Missing teeth can also cause speech disorders, as they are used to make many of the sounds we use to speak clearly.
How is a bridge attached?
The attachment procedure usually takes two or three appointments to complete. At the first appointment, our dentists will prepare the teeth on either side of the gap by removing a portion of the enamel and dentin.
Since the bridge must be fabricated precisely to ensure correct bite and to match the opposing tooth, digital scans or impressions of the teeth are taken and sent to a lab where the bridge will be constructed.
Fixed bridges are typically cemented to the natural teeth next to the space left by the missing tooth. A pontic (false tooth) replaces the lost tooth. Crowns, which are cemented onto the natural teeth, provide support for the bridge.
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