Bring the Sparkle Back to Your Smile with a Dental Bridge

And it’s not just the effect the loss of a tooth has on that megawatt smile, tooth loss can cause discomfort and problems with a shifting bite/or with eating. Replacing a gap in your smile is therefore about so much more than just aesthetic concerns; it can have a wide-reaching impact on the state of your oral health.

One solution to bring the sparkle back to your smile is to have a bridge fitted. The dental fixture does exactly what it says, with replacement teeth forming a bridge across a gap.

To hold the replacement tooth in place, crowns are fitted to the teeth either side of the gap. Known as abutment teeth, these crowns hold the false tooth that will fill the gap in place – the dental bridge is made when all the components are joined together.

When the surrounding teeth are very healthy and there is no need for them to be capped with crowns, there is also the option to create a dental bridge that is held in place with small metal wings. These are attached to the back of the teeth and hold the crown securely in place.

Dental crowns can be made from a variety of materials, including metals and tooth-coloured porcelain. While metal crowns are cheaper and more durable, a porcelain restoration will look very similar to the surrounding teeth, which can make the restoration much more aesthetically pleasing.

Why have a dental bridge fitted?

The most obvious reason to have a bridge fitted is cosmetic. Teeth play a huge part in a person’s appearance, and there is no need to suffer years of feeling self-conscious when a simple solution is at hand.

A dental bridge will also help to stop teeth moving into the gap, causing a change in the appearance of other teeth and to your bite. A dental bridge will restore full function to your mouth, preventing over use of other teeth to compensate those missing.

When there is a gap in the smile, the surrounding and opposing teeth can be damaged by this loss of support. The surrounding teeth can drift into the gap and become misaligned. The opposite teeth can also be damaged because they will have nothing to press against when you bite down.

Another common problem we see with missing teeth is uneven wear. If you favour chewing on one side of your mouth, your teeth can wear down unevenly, which can cause issues for the teeth on the opposite side of the mouth.

And finally, missing teeth can also change your face shape. When a tooth is missing, the jaw bone can shrink and recede without this support. This can lead to changes to your face shape and asymmetry.

The dental bridge procedure

If you decide to have a dental bridge fitted, your dentist will start by preparing the surrounding teeth that will support the bridge. This will involve removing a small amount of enamel to make space for the crowns. Once the teeth are prepared, the dentist will take impressions of the surrounding teeth, the gap, and the opposite teeth.

These impressions are used to create your dental bridge in a lab. The restoration is designed to fit perfectly over the surrounding teeth and then fit with the opposite teeth so your bite feels natural.

When the bridge is ready, your dentist will use a special cement to fix it in place. They may need to make final adjustments to ensure your bite feels natural.

Choosing between a dental bridge and an implant

A dental bridge is a more affordable option to fill a gap in your teeth than a dental implant, which is fixed into the gum. Although some patients may not want any alterations to the healthy teeth that will have crowns fitted, the treatment can be more straightforward than having an implant fitted.

Dental implant treatment typically takes around 6 months to complete, while a dental bridge could be fitted in a matter of weeks. This is an obvious benefit for lots of people who might not want to wait around for their restoration to be completed.

Both dental implants and dental bridges will need to be repaired or replaced at some point. When looked after, bridges can last for around 12 years, but this might be shorter if you aren’t careful about chewing or enjoying certain foods. A dental implant will last a lifetime, but the crown may need to be replaced after around 12 years due to wear and tear.

Other treatment plans for missing teeth

If you have multiple missing teeth, you might consider a partial denture instead of dental implants or a dental bridge. This is a removable option, so you’ll have to take it out to clean it at night time. This could be a popular choice if you don’t want to have an extensive treatment, or you don’t want to rely on the surrounding teeth for support.

How to make the right choice for you

Not sure which treatment is right for you? The first step is to book a consultation so you can find out which treatments are best suited to your situation. There may be a reason that certain treatments won’t work for you, so it’s better to be informed before you choose a treatment plan. Contact our dentists today for information on the best option for you.