Whether you sustained tooth loss due to an injury, decay or aging, a dental bridge is one way to restore your smile both in appearance and function. As the name implies, it bridges the gap left by missing teeth. The prosthetic gives you functional and aesthetic benefits by bringing back and improving your ability to bite, chew, and speak, as well as restoring your smile by replacing the missing tooth or teeth.
Types of Dental Bridges
Dental bridges are meant to replace missing teeth, but the type of bridge a patient needs will depend on their particular situation.
- Traditional bridge — These are supported by two crowns placed over healthy teeth. They’re usually made of porcelain fused to ceramic or metal. This type of bridge is used when there are strong, healthy teeth on both sides of the gap that can anchor the crowns and fix the bridge.
- Cantilever bridge — These types of bridges can be used with only one crown, meaning that only one side supports the bridge with a healthy tooth and a crown. But it also works when there are no teeth on both sides of the missing teeth.
- Maryland bonded bridges — These are also known as resin-bonded bridges. They attach to the back of supporting teeth on the sides of the gap, by metal or porcelain framework. This type doesn’t require reshaping or placement of crowns on adjacent teeth.
Patients experience great success with dental bridges because they are comfortable and easy to get used to. They are also beneficial to the overall health of your mouth because they keep your other teeth from shifting and moving out of place.
If you have any questions about dental bridges or tooth loss treatment in Canton, MI, please feel free to schedule a consultation with our experienced and skilled dental team.