What is a dental bridge?

In the area of cosmetic dentistry, dental bridges fall under the category of restorations for single tooth replacement. The role of the dental bridge is to literally bridge the gap between missing teeth.

Three types of dental bridges

There are three types of dental bridges. At Artistic Dental, our dentists, Dr. John Dougherty and Dr. Prabidhi Adhikari work on a case-by-case basis and review each of these options with our patients. Dr. Dougherty and Dr. Adhikari will put together a conservative treatment plan that will not only look good but is also functional and provides long-term stability.  

1. Traditional or conventional dental bridges: These are the most common type of dental bridges. The conventional dental bridge uses crowns on the teeth next to the empty space that are hooked together to help support the missing tooth. This is typically the treatment of choice if the two other teeth need to have dental crowns for other reasons. 
2. Cantilevered dental bridges: This type of bridge is not very common nowadays. It is not recommended in the back of the mouth, as it can put too much pressure on other teeth and cause damage. This restoration or bridge only uses one tooth next to the empty space to support the missing tooth. 
3. Maryland bonded bridges: This is the most conservative type of restoration and uses the adjacent teeth for support. The bonded bridges are made of porcelain, porcelain fused to metal, or plastic teeth and gums reinforced by a metal or porcelain framework. If the teeth adjacent to the empty space look good and don’t require any other type of dental work, Maryland bonded bridges could be the best option.

The benefits of dental bridges

Dental bridges offer a number of benefits including:

• Smile restoration
• Helping patients regain the ability to properly chew and speak again
• Preventing other teeth in the mouth from drifting out of position
• Restoration and maintaining the shape of the patient’s face
• Distributing the forces in the bite properly by replacing missing teeth

Like all dental treatments, the amount of force placed on your teeth can have an effect on the long-term certainty of dental bridges and it should be assessed by you and your dentist.

If you would like to learn if you are a suitable candidate for a dental bridge, you can book an appointment for a consultation and meet with Dr. John Dougherty or Dr. Pradibhi Adhikari. This is the first step to restoring a more confident and healthy smile.

The 4 major categories of restorations available for single tooth replacement

If you are facing the decision of dental restoration for a single tooth replacement, you need to understand what your options entail. 

There are four major treatments currently available for single tooth replacement:

1. Bonded (Maryland) dental bridges

2. Cantilevered dental bridges

3. Conventional dental bridges and dental implants

When you are deciding which treatment to undergo, it’s important to discuss with your dentist and not to choose based on the duration of the office visit required, but to choose the treatment option that best fits your dental needs.

Bonded (Maryland) Dental Bridges
These bridges utilize neighboring teeth to run a section of metal along the back of the teeth, and fill a gap with a false tooth. This may be the considered option if the surrounding teeth look great and don’t need restoration. This is not a viable option if you play contact sports or grind your teeth.

Cantilevered Dental Bridges

A cantilevered restoration utilizes a single neighboring tooth to support the missing tooth. This can be considered conservative due to full crowns being used to help support the area. The design is typically useful in replacing missing lateral incisors.

Conventional Dental Bridges

This process uses two or more crowns that hook together to support the area of the missing tooth. The failure rate of these bridges can range from 3 percent to 20 percent over 3-23 years.

Dental Implants

A dental implant is a metal screw (titanium positioned into the bone of the missing tooth. The next step is to make a dental crown on top of the implant. This is the most invasive type due to the possibility of bone grafting to ensure the implant stays connected into the bone, to move neighboring teeth out of the way for an implant.

Making a decision like this can be overwhelming but the dentists and staff at Artistic Dental are here to discuss and explain each process in more detail so you can make an informed decision. Our goal is to work with you to find a solution that is best for you and your dental health, and is aesthetically pleasing.