Dental Bridges & Tooth Replacements
Dental Bridges are used to span, or bridge a gap (missing teeth) between healthy teeth. Same as with crowns, teeth on either side of the empty space are reshaped and reduced in size. The two shaped teeth then act as anchors, or abutments. The bridge is attached to the living, health teeth and fills the missing tooth space.
If you have missing teeth and have good oral hygiene practices, you should discuss this procedure with your family dentist or cosmetic dentist. If spaces are left unfilled, they may cause the surrounding teeth to drift out of position. Additionally, spaces from missing teeth can cause your other teeth and your gums to become far more susceptible to tooth decay and gum disease.
Overview of dental bridge procedure
If you have a space from a missing tooth or teeth a dental bridge will be custom made to fill in the space with a false tooth or teeth. The false tooth is attached by the dental bridge to the two other teeth around the space - bridging them together.
How is dental bridge accomplished? Your dentist will prepare your teeth on either side of the space for the false tooth. You will be given a mild anesthetic to numb the area, and the dentist will remove the an area of each abutment (teeth on either side of the space) to accommodate for the thickness of the crown. When these teeth already have fillings, part of the filling may be left in place to help as a foundation for the crown.
The dentist will then make an impression, which will serve as the model from which the dental bridge, false tooth and crowns will be made by a dental laboratory. A temporary dental bridge will be placed for you to wear while your bridge is being made until your next visit. This temporary dental bridge will serve to protect your teeth and gums.
Your dentist may have you use a flipper appliance. A flipper is a false tooth to temporarily take the place of a missing tooth before the permanent dental bridge is placed. A fllipper can be attached via either a wire or a plastic piece that fits in the roof of your mouth. flippers are meant to be a temporary solution while awaiting the permanent dental bridge.
On your second appointment, the temporary dental bridge will be removed. Your new permanent dental bridge will be fitted and checked and adjusted for any bite discrepancies. Your new dental bridge will then be cemented to your teeth.
The Dental Bridge Procedure
During the first visit, your dentist examines the health of your gums and other teeth to evaluate if you are a candidate for a dental bridge. If you are a candidate for a dental bridge, you are given a local anesthetic so your dentist can prepare the teeth required to support the bridge. If the support teeth are decayed or badly broken down, your dentist may have to build them back up before they can be used as support teeth for a bridge.
Next, your dentist takes an impression of the prepared teeth with a putty-like material that is used to create a model of your teeth. Your bridge is fabricated based on this model by a skilled lab technician so that it precisely fits the prepared teeth. It is important that your restoration fit perfectly to avoid additional oral health problems such as tooth decay.
While your bridge is being fabricated, your dentist fits you with a temporary bridge so the teeth and gums can be protected from damage until your permanent bridge is ready.
To complete the dental bridge procedure, you must return to the dental office for a second visit to have the bridge fitted and cemented.
Traditional Fixed Bridge
A dental bridge is a false tooth, known as a pontic, which is fused between two porcelain crowns to fill in the area left by a missing tooth. There two crowns holding it in place that are attached onto your teeth on each side of the false tooth. This is known as a fixed bridge. This procedure is used to replace one or more missing teeth. Fixed bridges cannot be taken out of your mouth as you might do with removable partial dentures.
Resin Bonded Bridges
The resin bonded is primarily used for your front teeth. Less expensive, this bridge is best used when the abutment teeth are healthy and don't have large fillings. The false tooth is fused to metal bands that are bonded to the abutment teeth with a resin which is hidden from view. This type of bridge reduces the amount of preparation on the adjacent teeth.
Cantilever Bridges
In areas of your mouth that are under less stress, such as your front teeth, a cantilever bridge may be used. Cantilever bridges are used when there are teeth on only one side of the open space. This procedure involves anchoring the false tooth to one side over one or more natural and adjacent teeth.
Pros and Cons of a Dental Bridge
Advantages of dental bridges: Bridges are natural in appearance, and usually require only two visits to your dentist. If you maintain good oral hygiene, your fixed bridge should last as many as ten years or more.
Disadvantages of having a dental bridge: It is common for your teeth to be mildly sensitive to extreme temperatures for a few weeks after the treatment. The build up of bacteria formed from food acids on your teeth and gums can become infected if proper oral hygiene is not followed.
Determining the color for your dental bridge?
When considering dental bridges a common question is how white the dental bridge should be. Usually, the answer is to whiten your natural teeth to either the level of whiteness you want or to the brightest they can be. Your cosmetic dentist will then have the dental bridge made to that color. Teeth are of course not monochromatic, so typically more than one color is used to create a very natural look. This color variation is critical in avoiding fake or artificial looking teeth. It is the internal contrast of colors that help create vitality. The internal play of light on the porcelain in the restoration helps to create this vitality. Surface texture is also very important, and helps to break up light reflections and make the dental bridge look more natural. Depending on the type of dental bridge you're considering, it's important that the crowns anchoring the bridge match both the dental bridge and the color of your natural teeth.
There is no one standard system in the dental field to measure and determine tooth color. The most often heard about, however, is the Vita shade guide. This guide divides tooth color into four basic shade ranges:
- Five levels of reddish brown
- Four levels of reddish yellow
- Four levels of gray
- Four levels of reddish gray
Not all of your teeth are the same natural color. Usually your eye teeth tend to be darker than the others, your front teeth are typically the whitest, and molars tend to be a shade between the two. The goal for everyone is to achieve their individual optimum whiteness while still looking natural.
Most dentists will show you a shade chart (like the above mentioned Vita Shade Guide) for you to pick from. Keep in mind, with a good cosmetic dentist this is merely a starting point. Other considerations when determining the color of dental bridges for each patient are your complexion, hair color, the color of your natural teeth and even your eye color.
Call us with your questions about Dental Implant procedures, or any family dentistry questions. We are a West Jordan, Utah Family Dentistry and service South Jordan, Riverton, Midvale and other Utah cities. 801.255.7600 |
