What Is a Dental bridges?
What Types of Dental Bridges Are Available?
There are three main types of dental bridges:
- Traditional bridges involve creating a crown for the tooth or implant on either side of the missing tooth, with a pontic in between. Traditional bridges are the most common type of bridge and are made of either porcelain fused to metal or ceramics.
- Cantilever bridges are used when there are adjacent teeth on only one side of the missing tooth or teeth. This is not very common any more and is not recommended in the back of the mouth where it can put too much force on other teeth and damage them.
- Maryland bonded bridges (also called a resin-bonded bridge or a Maryland bridge) are made of porcelain, porcelain fused to metal, or plastic teeth and gums supported by a metal or porcelain framework. Metal or porcelain wings often on just one side of the bridge are bonded to your existing teeth.
Factors That Determine the Best Candidate for Dental Implants
The dentist considers many factors when evaluating your risks and benefits for a dental implant.
General Health
Since the placement of implants involves surgery with anesthesia, you must have good general health. The dentist will complete a history and physical and ask about all the medication you take. They may require that you get a medical release from your primary physician.
Gum Health
The dentist will also check to ensure that no gum disease is present. If you do have gum disease, the procedure must wait until the infection is resolved. Placing a base into the jawbone when you have gum disease increases the chance of bone infection.
Once the bone becomes infected, the risk to your general health as well as implant failure increases.
Adequate Bone Density
The jawbone must hold the base. Thus, the dentist will ensure that your jawbone can support the implant. If you don’t have enough jawbone, you may need a restorative procedure completed first.
Techniques used to create a sturdy jaw structure include:
- Bone augmentation uses bone additives and growth factors to increase the mass of the jawbone
- Sinus augmentation or elevation adds bone tissue below the sinus area that occurs with lost upper back teeth
- Ridge expansion increases the width of your jawbone by placing a bone graft along the top of your jaw
Oral Health
Good oral health impacts the success of the dental implant procedure. Patients who have established oral hygiene practices are ideal candidates. These practices include:
- Tooth brushing twice a day
- Cleaning between the teeth daily with floss or interdental brushes
- Routine dental check-ups every six months
Maintaining good oral health is important to implant success.
What Is the Process for Getting a Dental Bridge?
During the first visit for getting a dental bridge, the abutment teeth are prepared. Preparation involves recontouring these teeth by removing a portion of enamel to allow room for a crown to be placed over them. Next, impressions of the teeth are made, which serve as a model from which the bridge, pontic, and crowns will be made by a dental lab. Your dentist will make a temporary bridge to wear to protect the exposed teeth and gums while the bridge is being made.
During the second visit, your temporary bridge will be removed and the new porcelain or metal bridge will be checked and adjusted, as necessary, to achieve a proper fit. Multiple visits may be required to check the fit of the metal framework and bite. This is dependent on each individual’s case. If the dental bridge is a fixed bridge, your dentist may temporarily cement it in place for a couple of weeks to make sure it is fitting properly. After a couple weeks, the bridge is cemented into place.
- Face masks required for travelers in public areas
- Face masks required for guides in public areas
- Face masks provided for travelers
- Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
- Social distancing enforced throughout experience
- Regularly sanitized high-traffic areas
- Gear/equipment sanitized between use
- Transportation vehicles regularly sanitized
- Guides required to regularly wash hands
- Regular temperature checks for staff
- Paid stay-at-home policy for staff with symptoms
How Do I Care for a Bridge?
It is important to keep remaining teeth healthy and strong as the success of the bridge (depending on the type selected) depends on the solid foundation offered by the surrounding teeth. Brushing twice a day and flossing and using an antiseptic mouthwash daily help prevent tooth decay and gum disease that can lead to tooth loss. Your dentist or dental hygienist can demonstrate how to properly brush and floss teeth. Keeping a regular cleaning schedule will help diagnose problems at an early stage when treatment has a better prognosis. Selecting a balanced diet for proper nutrition is also important.
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