Dental Bridges

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If you have missing tooth or want to replace then you might need ‘bridge’ by using the natural teeth at the either end to support.

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If you’re missing one or more teeth? You’re not alone. The average adults between 20 to 64 years old have three decayed or missing teeth (as per ADA). To fill this gap you have multiple options for replacing these missing teeth, including dental bridges.

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Here are four types of dental bridges that you may look into;

• Traditional Dental Bridges are the most popular kind of bridge. These bridges consist of one or more pontics (fake teeth) and are held in place by dental crowns. These dental crowns are also called abutments, and they are cemented onto the teeth adjacent to your missing tooth.

• Cantilever Bridges are another option for replacing missing teeth. They are very similar to traditional bridges, but the pontic is supported by an abutment on only one side, rather than on both sides. So if there’s only one natural tooth next to the gap, a bridge can still be secured.

• Maryland Bridges are considered a conservative alternative to traditional bridges. These bridges consist of a pontic that is held in place by a metal or porcelain framework. This framework is bonded onto the backs of the two teeth adjacent to the missing tooth. Since this type of bridge isn’t held in place by crowns, the adjacent teeth don’t need to be filed.

• Implant-Supported Bridges can be used when you have more than one tooth missing. Instead of being supported by crowns or frameworks, these bridges are supported by dental implants. Usually, one implant is placed for every missing tooth, and this series of implants holds the bridge in place.

 

We can close the gaps in your smile with dental bridges. With so many types of dental bridges available, you can feel confident about an appropriate solution for your missing teeth.

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Crowns

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A crown, sometimes known as dental cap, is a type of dental restoration which completely caps or encircles a tooth or dental implant. Crowns are often needed when a large cavity threatens the ongoing health of a tooth. They are typically bonded to the tooth using a dental cement. Crowns can be made from many materials, which are usually fabricated using indirect methods. Crowns are often used to improve the strength or appearance of teeth. While inarguably beneficial to dental health, the procedure and materials can be relatively expensive.

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The most common method of crowning a tooth involves using a dentalimpression of a prepared tooth by a dentist to fabricate the crown outside of the mouth. The crown can then be inserted at a subsequent dental appointment. Using this indirect method of tooth restoration allows use of strong restorative materials requiring time-consuming fabrication methods requiring intense heat, such as casting metal or firing porcelain which would not be possible to complete inside the mouth. Because of the expansion properties, the relatively similar material costs, and the cosmetic benefit, many patients choose to have their crown fabricated with gold.

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As new technology and materials science has evolved, computers are increasingly becoming a part of crown fabrication, such as in CAD/CAM dentistry.

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Crowns are normally used to:

• Restore the form, function and appearance of badly broken down, worn or fractured teeth, where other simpler forms of restorations are unsuitable or have been found to fail clinically.

• Improve the aesthetics of unsightly teeth which cannot be managed by simpler cosmetic procedures.

• Maintain the structural stability and reduce the risk of fractures of extensively restored teeth including like teeth which have been root filled as in Root Canal Treatment, especially posterior teeth which are subjected to higher occlusal forces.

• Restore a dental implant

 

As there is still no strong evidence in current literature that crowns are better than other routine restorations to restore root-filled/ root canal treated teeth, dentists are still advised to use their clinical experience in view of the patient’s preferences when making the decision of using a crown.