Dental bridges consist of artificial teeth and crowns which are used to bridge the gap in the jaw created by one or more missing teeth. A bridge has two parts, the pontic and the crowns. The pontic is the middle part that occupies the empty position and can be made of gold, alloys, porcelain. The crowns are present on either side of the pontic and are fitted over already present teeth. These teeth are called abutment teeth because they are prepared before receiving the crown.

Dental bridges are usually considered as the best therapeutic option to young children. So, make sure to consult a paediatric dentist in Quincy MA to check the dental health of your children.

Types Of Dental Bridges

Dental bridges are of mainly three types

• Traditional Bridges: These are the bridges having pontics in the middle and crown on both sides. It doesn’t prevent jawbone degeneration. The adjacent teeth become permanent damage due to the removal of enamel and need crowning for further protection.
• Cantilever Bridges: It is used when the missing teeth are at the end of the jaw and there is only one adjacent tooth. They are rarely used nowadays because they are known to cause damage to the rest of the tooth.
• Maryland Bonded Bridge: It consists of the middle false tooth and on both sides of the tooth there is the wing-like structure which is fixed to the back. The adjacent teeth need not to be filed. But these are not suitable to be used in areas where biting pressure is high like molars
• Implant-Supported Bridge: This is used when you have more than one missing tooth. Here the bridge is not supported by crown or wings but with the help of implants. It is a costlier process but it has long term advantages as it is the only process which helps in regenerating jawbone

Complications

You must get bridges if you are advised by your paediatric dentist in Quincy MA because the missing tooth has several complications asTilting and drifting:

• The nearby teeth have a tendency to tilt or drift into the empty space. The teeth of the opposite jaw can also misalign.
• Loosening: These drifted teeth can loosen easily and will affect your bite.

Materials

The bridges can be made of many materials and your dentist will recommend the most suitable material for your condition. The common materials are

• Gold, Silver, And Meta Alloys: The strongest and most durable choice. Their installation causes less damage to adjacent teeth but they don’t match with the other teeth and your smile will not be the same as it was before. Most paediatric dentists in Quincy MA recommend it for molar teeth because they are less visible during a smile.
• PFM Restoration: It stands for Porcelain fused to Metal and have an outer shell of Porcelain fused to the metallic basic which provides durability and strength but after some years’ porcelain can get eroded leaving the patient with a metallic smile
• All-Porcelain: It is entirely made of porcelain and bridges are almost similar to the teeth but they are not as durable as metal. Adjacent teeth suffer more damage because placing these bridges requires more alteration
• Zirconia: It is a special dental ceramic. They are metallic strong as well as matches identical to your teeth. It requires very little alteration of the adjacent teeth so they suffer less damage.

Procedure

• Abutment Teeth: The natural teeth of opposite sides are prepared for receiving the bridge. The teeth are transformed in such a way that the crown can fit over them. This is done by removing a part of enamel over them
• Impression: Your orthodontist will take the impression of your teeth so that the dental lab can make the bridge similar to other teeth
• Temporary Bridge: It will be worn by you to protect the abutment teeth until the lab creates your custom bridge.
• Permanent Bridge: In your next visit, the temporary bridge will be removed and the permanent bridge will be cemented into that space.

Caring

The success of dental bridges depends upon the health of the supporting structure, so you must take care of your teeth as properly cared bridges can last up to 15 years

• Brushing twice a day
• Regular Flossing: There are many kinds of flossers available and your paediatric dentist in Quincy MA will tell you the most suitable one according to your bridges and teeth.
• Antiseptic mouthwash
• Regular dental check-up
• Eat a healthy diet

Prognosis

The outcome and success depend upon the type of bridge used by the patient. The implant-supported bridge offers the best outcome known so far.