Dental Bridges 101: Types of Dental Bridges

Dental Bridges 101: Types of Dental Bridges

Sep 01, 2021

One of the most incredible things about dentistry is that different approaches and techniques can help restore your smile. With missing teeth, the story is the same. A dentist near you will guide you through the various tooth replacement oral appliances there are. Even when you choose one, for example, dental bridges there are still many more types to choose from tooth bridges.

What Are Dental Bridges?

They are oral appliances used in restorative dentistry to replace missing teeth. Dental bridges create a bridge between the natural teeth by placing an artificial tooth in between. As such, you get to retain all your natural teeth and gain an artificial one to replace the missing tooth. Usually, dental bridges are employed for single tooth replacement. However, they can still be used for replacing up to 3 missing teeth in a row. Anything more than that would require reinforcement of other tooth replacement appliances like dentures and dental implants.

4 Types of Dental Bridges Used in Dentistry

Are you concerned about how dental bridges will work for your smile? Whether you are missing your front or your back teeth, different types of dental bridges can help meet your individual oral needs. They are:

  1. Traditional dental bridges – are the most common and popular types of tooth bridges. When you first mention to a dentist in Carrollwood, FL, that you want dental bridges, the traditional bridges are the first ones he/she will bring up. Traditional tooth bridges feature two dental crowns and an artificial replacement tooth. The artificial tooth is usually sandwiched between the two dental crowns. The dental crowns are there to offer support to the replacement tooth. Therefore, to qualify for traditional dental bridges, you need to have two adjacent teeth or the right and left of the missing tooth. According to Dr. Allan Fallah, the kind of stability offered by the dental crowns make traditional dental bridges the sturdiest types of tooth bridges in dentistry.
  2. Cantilever dental bridges – they are a lot similar to traditional dental bridges. However, instead of two dental crowns, cantilever bridges feature a single tooth crown. It implies that you only need one adjacent tooth to qualify for cantilever bridges. While they are still strong and effective, cantilever dental bridges cannot match the sturdiness and stability of traditional bridges. However, the advantage is that you do not necessarily need to have two of your natural teeth altered simply to replace one missing tooth.
  3. Maryland bonded bridges – they are much different from the other types of bridges in their making. Ideally, Maryland bonded bridges do not use dental crowns at all. Instead, they rely on porcelain or a metal framework that is supported by adjacent teeth. Technically, instead of shaving the adjacent teeth to support the dental crown, the porcelain or metal framework is attached to the backside of the adjacent teeth. Like with traditional bridges, you also need two adjacent natural teeth to get Maryland bonded tooth bridges. The greatest advantage with these types of bridges is that they are less invasive yet still provide a more affordable tooth replacement alternative compared to their counterparts. However, Maryland bonded dental bridges are not as strong as traditional tooth bridges. Instead, the strength of these dental bridges relies on the sturdiness of the type of material used to bond the bridge to your natural teeth.
  4. Implant-supported dental bridges – are quickly gaining popularity in dentistry. They involve the installation of dental implants in your jawbone before you get dental bridges. Ideally, if you have three multiple missing teeth in a row, to receive dental bridges, there needs to be a way to support the replacement tooth. Therefore, your dentist in 33618 will install two dental implants that will then support the dental bridge. This technique allows your Carrollwood dentist to use dental bridges in a versatile manner so that implant-supported bridges can suitably replace multiple missing teeth in a row. Implant-supported bridges are known for their sturdiness and effectiveness for multiple tooth replacement. However, you need to be prepared to undergo a more invasive procedure than is the case with other tooth-replacement methods with dental bridges.
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