Dentures & Implants

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Purpose of a Dental Bridge

A few missing teeth can really do a number on your smile. If you’ve lost one or more teeth, you’re likely to cover up your teeth as you grin, and your nutrition may suffer as well.

Your dentist can use a dental bridge to fill in such a gap. A dental bridge can replace a single tooth or an entire stretch of teeth.

The most common type of dental bridge is a fixed permanent bridge. In these appliances, the dentist will place crowns on the teeth adjacent to the gap. Those crowns then anchor an artificial tooth or several artificial teeth, depending on the size of the space.

In certain circumstances, only one tooth is used to anchor a single replacement tooth. This is referred to as a cantilever bridge.

The process of getting a dental bridge begins with an assessment of the patient’s case. The data gathered at that initial appointment will be used to construct the patient’s bridge. The dentist will examine your teeth and take impressions, which serve as a guide to the dental lab constructing the bridge. Patients may get a temporary bridge while they are awaiting the permanent appliance.

The bridge can be designed to the patient’s specifications in terms of shade and shape of the prosthetic teeth.

After the permanent bridge is ready, the patient will return to the dentist’s office to have it placed.

Patients who get a dental bridge will enjoy a number of benefits, including an improved appearance and better nutrition. They’ll also be taking steps to prevent the remaining teeth from shifting out of their positions.

If you need to replace missing teeth, contact the office of Dr. Shupe to learn more about dental bridges. Follow the link to see examples of dental bridges.