Bridges

If you’re missing one or more teeth, you may be aware of their importance to your appearance and dental health. Your teeth work together to help you chew, speak,
sing and smile. When you lack teeth, it’s difficult to do these things. Fortunately,
missing teeth can and should be replaced. You can restore your oral health and your
smile with a fixed bridge.

Your appearance, dental health and the proper functioning of your mouth are all important reasons for wearing a bridge. A bridge helps maintain the natural shape of your face and may help support your lips and cheeks. The loss of a back tooth may cause your mouth to sink and your face to look older. When a tooth is lost, the nearby teeth may tilt toward the empty space, or the teeth in the opposite jaw may move up or down toward the space. This places unusual stress on both the teeth and tissues in your mouth.

A bridge (also called a fixed partial denture) is a restoration which replaces or spans the space where one or more teeth have been lost. There are two types of bridges- fixed and removable. Fixed bridges are bonded into place and can only be removed by a dentist. On the other hand, you can take out a removable bridge for cleaning.

A fixed bridge is commonly cemented to the natural teeth next to the space left by the missing tooth. A false tooth (called a pontic) replaces the lost tooth. The pontic is attached to the crowns (restorations that cover a tooth). Crowns, which are cemented onto the natural teeth, provide support for the bridge.