Building a Bridge

dental bridges, cosmetic

Building a Bridge

Bridges are important for many things. Connecting roadways, connecting countries, connecting people relationally. They are also important for connecting your teeth. Hicks Dental Group in Prescott wants to help you meet your cosmetic needs in dentistry, and one way may be with the help of dental bridges.

What is a Dental Bridge?

A dental bridge may be a great option to replace missing teeth. This process literally bridges the gap of the missing tooth by creating support on the sides of the gap in order to replace the missing tooth. The bridge usually consists of crowns on both sides, with the replacement, or what is called a pontic, in the middle.

Why is a Bridge Needed?

It may seem that having a missing tooth would not be a big issue, but that is untrue. Missing teeth can cause various issues. When there is a tooth missing, the other teeth can start to shift in the mouth to make up for the open space. This can cause issues with the jawbone itself and crooked teeth. Not only would this increase the difficulty in cleaning the teeth, it can also lead to tooth decay or gum disease. It is imperative for your oral health to replace any missing teeth you may have.

Types of Dental Bridges

When looking at dental bridging for your teeth, there are two main types of bridging that are used regularly.

  1. Maryland Bonded Bridge: Made up of porcelain or metal which are adhered to your teeth on one side of the bridge for stronger support.
  2. Traditional Bridge: Most common route, where a crown is created over the prepared teeth on both sides of the gap, with a false tooth, or pontic, cemented in the middle.

The various types of bridges depend on the specific need of your particular case. Bridges in this day and age are imperative to connection. Connection between worlds, friends, family and in this case, your teeth. Contact Hicks Dental Group today to see what you can do to improve your smile! Bridging is just one way to replace missing teeth. Read our next blog to find out more options to replace missing teeth.  

 

Images used under creative commons license – commercial use (6/27/2017) U.S. Army (Flickr)