Types of Dental Bridges Used on Dentistry in Worcester
Jun 01, 2020
Do you have a plan for when you lose a tooth or two? Frankly, no one ever wants to welcome the reality of missing a tooth in their adulthood. It is different from childhood where your teeth can grow back. Even then, still, a large part of the world’s population battles with tooth loss in adulthood. These problems are not isolated for a particular group of people. Many reasons can explain why you lose your teeth. an important thing to remember is that with the right dentist in Worcester, you just might have all your teeth intact. Read on to find out more about dental bridges and the purpose they serve in dentistry.
What Are Dental Bridges?
They are oral appliances used as fixtures for replacing missing teeth. dental bridges are unique in the manner that they incorporate other dental appliances to achieve total tooth replacement. Technically, a dental tooth bridge features two dental crowns and an artificial tooth. The artificial tooth is called a pontic. This pontic is usually sandwiched between the dental crowns. However, this may differ, depending on the type of dental bridge in use.
Types of Dental Bridges
Different types of bridges are fashioned, to ensure that there is something for every patient. The types are:
- Traditional oral bridges – these are the most popular and commonly used dental bridges. They are the first thing that comes to mind when you mention oral bridges. They feature two dental crowns and an artificial tooth in between them. Traditional oral bridges are very effective when it comes to replacing the back teeth. The support of the two dental crowns on the adjacent teeth on both sides makes them very stable. This stability is one of the main reasons why these dental bridges are used for the back teeth.
- Cantilever dental bridges – they are the second most popular types of dental bridges. They are slightly different from traditional bridges as they feature only one dental crown. Ideally, if you have two missing teeth in a row, this type of oral bridges can be used to restore our teeth. the reason is that they require support from one dental crown, meaning a single adjacent tooth is needed. However, they are not as stable as traditional dental bridges are.
- Maryland dental bridges – they are not as popular as either of the other two types of dental bridges. In fact, dental crowns are not used for this type. Instead, they feature and artificial tooth and a metal bracket. The metal framework supports the artificial tooth. A unique fact about these bridges is that they are mostly used as a dental bridge for front teeth. the metal framework is supported at the back of the adjacent tooth.
- An implant-supported dental bridge – they implant bridges
More About the Procedure
Ideally, dental bridges are not permanent, nor are they temporary. You can have them for between 5-15 years or more, depending on how well you care for them. They are also not removable, given that they are attached to your teeth through the dental bonding procedure. The procedure makes use of special dental cement that is then cured with a special curing light, usually lasers or ultraviolet light.
The procedure for installing dental bridges differs depending on the type being installed. However, all of them do agree on a general procedure that includes the following steps:
- Trimming of the enamel – this is done on the adjacent teeth meant to support the dental crown. The enamel has to be trimmed to create room for the dental crown. Ideally, the amount of enamel you lose depends on the thickness of the dental crown. Your dentist will do this on either one or two of the adjacent teeth.
- Dental impressions – the next step involves taking the impressions of your teeth. this covers the trimmed teeth, as well as the size of the space of the lost tooth. These impressions will act as the guide for which the dentist will create the dental bridge customized for your size.
- Temporary bridge – as your dental bridge is being manufactured, the dentist may place a temporary dental bridge in the target area. This should hold until yours are ready.
- Installation – on your next dental visit, your dentist will bond your dental bridge to your natural teeth, and you are good to go.