Missing teeth is not a good look or good for your oral health. Unfortunately, 120 million people in the United States are missing at least one tooth, and 36 million don’t have any teeth at all. Tooth loss happens for various reasons; most of them involve not caring properly for your teeth regularly.
The good news is you can get a second chance to care for your teeth. A dental bridge helps restore your smile and the function of your missing teeth. A bridge is a fixed prosthetic that replaces one or more missing teeth. It’s called a bridge because it “bridges” the gap that’s left when you lose a tooth.
A missing tooth can do more than detract from your appearance. A missing tooth or teeth can interfere with eating, speaking, and chewing. Missing teeth can also impact the shape of your face. At Healthy Smile Dental, Hannah Baek, DDS and her team evaluate your dental health and make a recommendation for the best type of dental bridge for your appearance and oral health needs. Here, Dr. Baek shares useful information about the three types of bridges offered at Healthy Smile Dental.
A traditional bridge is the most common bridge. This type of bridge is recommended when natural teeth surround the missing tooth or teeth. A crown is created for each of the neighboring teeth, called the abutment teeth. These crowns hold the artificial tooth or teeth, also called pontic teeth, in place.
This type of bridge is similar to a traditional bridge, except instead of two abutment teeth, the pontic is fused to only one. This is a good option for people who have natural teeth only on one side of the gap.
A Maryland bonded bridge is a good option for people whose abutment teeth can’t support crowns. With this type of bridge, Dr. Baek attaches the pontic tooth, which is made of porcelain fused to a metal framework with wings, or attachments, on each side to connect to the back of the abutment teeth. This type of bridge is often used for people who are missing front teeth.
Are you ready to replace a missing tooth or teeth? Call Healthy Smile Dental to schedule an appointment with Dr. Baek so you can improve the form and function of your smile. You can also request an appointment online through this website.
