Having a missing tooth can cause an array of dental issues that are uncalled for. If your missing tooth is not replaced or restored, the remaining teeth are at risk of shifting. This could affect your bite and might also create gaps between your teeth. Fortunately, a dental bridge acts as a replacement of your missing tooth and fills the gap in between your teeth.
Furthermore, this dental treatment is quite successful with the help of dental crowns. The combination of the crowns and bridges are a perfect match made to restore your smile.
Dental bridge and crowns treatment
A dental bridge in Waterloo, Ontario is offered to patients who need a permanent and aesthetically pleasing replacement for their missing tooth.
Although there are several types of dental bridges available, a porcelain dental bridge is a good material choice. In fact, most dentists recommend this type of bridge to their patients. This is due to its ability to blend well with the patient’s natural tooth. It takes the shape and shade of each tooth perfectly, making this a vital replacement for a missing tooth. The dentist will require his patient two visits to his clinic to complete this dental bridge procedure.
First visit
- During the first visit, your dentist will clean the surrounding teeth which are also known as abutment teeth.
- Once this is done, the abutments will be trimmed down. Sedation may be necessary if you have a low pain tolerance.
- The next step is to take an impression of your dental arches. This will be forwarded to the dental laboratory to be used as a basis for creating your porcelain dental bridge.
- A temporary dental crown and bridge will be attached while waiting for your final bridge. This should avoid any unnecessary movement on your teeth.
Second visit
- Your dentist will remove the temporary dental crown and bridge.
- Then he will fix your permanent bridge in place using a special bonding cement.
- Finally, a bite trial will also be needed to avoid any discomfort while you are chewing. Once this is done, you are set to continue with your daily routine.
Types of dental bridges
The use of a dental bridge as a fixed restorative treatment has helped a lot of patients with broken smiles. Also, many versions have been developed to cater to different cases of missing teeth replacement. With the help of modern technology, dentists have created several types of a tooth bridge using different materials. Here are the 4 most commonly used kinds of bridges.
Traditional dental bridge
This is the most popular type among the four. It consists of a false tooth held by dental crowns that is placed over the abutment teeth. The dentist recommends a traditional bridge when the patient still has healthy teeth to serve as the anchor of the bridge.
Cantilever dental bridge
Similar to a traditional bridge, this porcelain dental bridge uses only one abutment tooth instead of two neighbouring teeth. As a result, you are saving more of your natural teeth from being shaped down. This is also useful for patients who don’t have existing teeth on the other end of the gap.
Maryland dental bridge
It is the most unconventional type of bridge as this does not need abutments to fill the gap of a missing tooth. Instead, it uses a metal or porcelain framework that is attached at the back of your healthy natural teeth.
Implant-supported dental bridge
As the name implies, this tooth bridge uses dental implants to support the bridge. An implant is a dental screw that is attached to your jawbone to replace the natural root of your missing tooth. This is ideally used if the gap consists of 4 or more missing teeth. The implant is needed to make sure that the bridge is stable enough to withstand wear and tear.
In these modern times, having a replacement your missing tooth is not limited to just wearing dentures. With crowns and bridges, you can have a permanent replacement for it without the hassle of having a fake looking smile.
If you’re interested with this procedure and want to know the dental bridge cost, contact your local dentist today.
