What is a bridge?
A missing tooth or teeth can create an unhealthy situation over time. It is very important to restore these gaps. When one or more teeth are lost or missing, the neighboring teeth can shift, tip or even “super-erupt” into the space. Teeth that have drifted from their normal and healthy position are often more susceptible to decay and gum disease. Further, this movement can lead to changes in a patient’s bite that can ultimately put stress on the jaws, muscles, teeth and temporomandibular joints (TMJ). Over time this can affect a patient’s ability to chew and may even change the facial appearance depending on the location and number of missing teeth.
Bridges are ideal for people who don’t like dentures or only have one or two teeth missing. Conventional bridges are made by crowning the teeth on either side of the gap and attaching a false tooth in the middle. They are fixed in the same way as crowns. These bridges are usually made of precious metal bonded to porcelain. Sometimes other non-precious metals are used in the base for strength.
A bridge is a dental appliance that replaces one or more natural missing teeth,thereby “bridging” the space between two teeth.Bridges are cemented into place on the “abutment” teeth–the surrounding teeth on either side of the space or span. Unlike removable partial dentures,bridges cannot be taken out of the mouth by the patient. A bridge is a device that typically consists of three units-a pontic (a false tooth) fused between two crowns that are cemented onto the abutment teeth. Crown & Bridge are not removable like partial or complete denture. The are cemented in the mouth by dentist. Some are all porcelain. Your dentist reduces the size of the tooth needing a crown. An impression is taken along with measurements of how your jaws relate to one another and how much space is between them. The dental laboratory help to make crown from the impression and registration. On any final adjustment are made to the completed crown, your dentist will cement the crown in place.
