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Bridges
A bridge is one of the few options that you have when deciding how to deal with a missing tooth or teeth. The replacement of these missing teeth is necessary in order to maintain the proper mouth functions. Tooth loss can affect the way you eat, speak, and the alignment of other teeth in your mouth.
Types of Bridges
A bridge, by definition, is a link or connection between two structures. A dental bridge is very similar in that it attaches the restorative teeth (bridge) to the natural teeth on either side of the gap. This bridge acts as your new teeth, closing the gap and restoring your smile. Bridges are often constructed of gold or metal foundations with porcelain fused to the foundation. This ensures that the bridge will support the normal functions of the mouth.
There are different type of bridges:
- Traditional bridges involve creating a crown for the tooth or implant on either side of the missing tooth, with a pontic in between. Traditional bridges are the most common type of bridge and are made of either porcelain fused to metal or ceramics.
Special bonded bridges: (healthy adjacent teeth are required)
- One is the Maryland Bridge- Using this technique, adjacent teeth can have minor reduction of tooth structure and this type of bridge can be bonded to the teeth. I have a Maryland bridge myself because I did not want the adjacent perfect teeth cut down. All Maryland Bridges will eventually fail (because of loss of the bond between the metal and the bonding cement), and I was willing to accept that risk.
- A second type of bridge is a metal free technique by which using a porcelain false tooth (pontic) can be bonded to adjacent teeth utilizing a combination of bonding materials. Under the right circumstances this is an excellent option.
- A Solopontic bridge can be used. This technique utilizing bonded materials, looks great, but is not as strong as other bridges. This would be an excellent bridge to use for a short term need.
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Another option is bonding the crown portion of a patient’s natural tooth to adjacent teeth if the patient has a sound tooth that must be extracted because of bone loss around the root or similar reason. I have utilized this technique for as much as 22 years, and I know that one of the bonded bridges is still in place after 19 years of service.
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