What’s a Dental Bridge?

A bridge is a fixed partial denture prosthetic that can be an effective solution in cases of partial tooth loss.

A dental bridge typically consists of three or more attached crowns fused together. The crown in the center replaces your missing tooth. The crowns on either end fit over the teeth adjacent to the gap to hold the replacement tooth in position. Dental bridges are supported by natural teeth or implants.

The artificial replacement tooth is called a “pontic”. The healthy adjacent teeth, called abutments, provide support on either side.

These can be made from gold, alloys, porcelain, or a combination of these materials.

A dental bridge will hold your other teeth in place and make everyday activities such as eating and talking easier. It can also help preserve your teeth as a lost tooth can cause the remaining teeth to loosen, which may lead to loss of additional teeth. The bridge restores your bite and helps keep the natural shape of your face.

Reasons for a fixed bridge:

Fill space of missing teeth

  • Maintain facial shape

  • Prevent teeth from drifting out of natural position

  • Upgrade from a partial denture

  • Restore chewing and speaking ability

  • Restore your smile

  • Distribute the forces in your bite properly by replacing missing teeth

Some risks associated with getting a bridge

Cleaning problems: Cleaning Under the bridge can be challenging, gap between your replacement tooth and your gums could trap food particles and bacteria, creating a smelly and unhealthy situation. Using thread flosser and water pick is very important.

Damage to neighboring teeth: Getting a bridge always causes damage to neighboring teeth, because these teeth must be shaved down into pegs to accommodate their crowns and anchor your replacement tooth. If these pegs suffer additional damage due to tooth decay or gum disease, they may become so weak that they can no longer support a bridge. In this case the existing bridge may fail, and you may not be able to get a new one. Instead, you might have to use a partial denture.