Dental Bridges

What Is a Dental Bridge?
A false tooth(called a pontic) that is held in between the surrounding teeth on both sides of the gap is referred to as a dental bridge. Your dentist can help fill up the gaps in between your teeth with the dental bridge if you have missing teeth. Usually, pontics are produced from porcelain to properly fit into the natural teeth but they are sometimes made from different types of material such as Gold.




History of Dental Bridges
The first trial on bridgework and false teeth was made Around 700BC. Unpolished false teeth were produced from human teeth/ or animal teeth were made by the Etruscans. The vase of the false teeth is mostly made of ivory gotten from walruses, elephants, and hippopotamuses.
In the past, teeth from people and animals were commonly used as tooth replacement until now. A gold dental crown was also used by Etruscans as caps for impaired teeth, this is crucial in the creation of varieties of bridgework.
Candidates for Dental Bridges
People that can opt-in for dental bridges must have two strong and healthy teeth side by side, to the part where teeth are missing. The teeth must be firmly rooted. Individuals with teeth issues that might result in treatments relating to root canals in the future shouldn’t consider doing dental bridges. This is because the teeth might get infected or become weak, which will likely cause damage to the teeth after a while.
An individual whose teeth are weak at the area to be bridged is qualified for dental implants. Implant are synthetic supports that are fixed in the gums. It takes a lot of weeks or months to get implants done depending On individuals. Implants are everlasting as soon as it is placed in the mouth, and it requires strong bones and gums.




Why Do You Need A Bridge?
To miss a tooth is a major problem. Teeth are meant to operate side by side. When a tooth is lost, the teeth nearest to it may bend or shit to the empty space. The teeth in the jaw opposite to it may as well move upward or downward into space. Your bite might be affected and it could inflict pain on you by placing serious stress on your teeth and jaw joints, which could also cause damage.
Tilted and drifted teeth are more difficult to clean. This causes an increased risk of tooth decay and gum disease. There is shrinkage of the bone when a tooth is lost. When this occurs, it affects the manner at which the jawbone gives support to the lips and cheeks. Over the years, it might result in the face looking older.
How Dental Bridge Works
It is necessary to visit at least twice when fixing a dental bridge. Three crucial steps are accomplished at the first visit. Initially, preparations are made towards fitting the surrounding teeth with a crown. These preparations involved filing down the tooth to enable the crown to fit on it. After that, an image of your teeth is taken and sent to the laboratory in preparation for the bridge and crown. Lastly, Your teeth are fixed by the dentist with a temporary bridge so as to give them protection pending the time the bridge is produced at the laboratory.
When a dental bridge is adopted as a treatment option, one of its advantages is that the healing is slight. The moment the bridge is fixed in your mouth, you can eat. Patients usually do find it easy to adjust to the bridge. But in case you feel pain, it could be that the bridge was not fixed appropriately. Therefore, an adjustment can be made by your dentist to relieve you of the pain.


Benefits of Dental Bridges
Regain Your Smile
A beautiful and healthy smile is priceless. A lot of patients regain their confidence after the completion of a dental bridge treatment. Have you ever attempted hiding your smiles in a group picture or felt uncomfortable? Dental bridges can enhance your quality of life by reinstating your smile.
Enhance Speaking
It’s always difficult to pronounce some words and your speech comes with defects when You Have lost several teeth. To resolve this problem, there is a need to tackle the tooth loss that leads to your speech being impaired. Dental bridges can help address problems with speaking which is caused as a result of tooth loss.
Helps Retain The Natural Shape Of Your Face
Your jawbone will begin to get worse if it’s not stimulated. Serious deterioration of the jawbone can cause tooth loss, as well as causing the face to lose its shape.
Enhancing Chewing
You might be faced with challenges or feel serious pain while eating your best food after a tooth is lost. This pain could result from the movement of the surrounding teeth to the direction of the open space. Moreover, the accumulation of food particles in the empty space of the tooth can also cause damage to the gum. It is advised to spend on dental bridge treatment to permanently get rid of pain while eating.
Prevent Teeth From Shifting
Your teeth might begin to bend towards the direction of the open space after a serious tooth loss. To hinder the teeth from Shifting, it is Important you fill-up space with a synthetic tooth using dental bridge treatment. When teeth move a lot it loses its firmness and these could result in further tooth loss.
Types of Dental Bridges
Traditional Dental Bridges
The most popular type of dental bridge is the orthodox bridges. They are worn when your natural teeth are surrounded by a missing tooth or when there is a presence of a gap on both sides of the teeth. The bridge is made up of one or a few pontic teeth that are supported by two abutment teeth. ”Abutment teeth “are natural teeth with a dental crown which gives support to the fake teeth, or “pontic teeth “ among them.


Cantilever Bridges
Cantilever bridges are fixed to an abutment tooth just as it is done to orthodox bridges. The difference is that it is only fixed on one side. Cantilever bridges are also used to secure a bridge When natural teeth are only present on just one side of a gap.
Maryland Bridges
When changing teeth at the front of the mouth, Maryland Bruges or resin-bonded bridges are commonly advised. The Bridges are made from metal or porcelain bands and are used to tie a pontic tooth to the backs of natural teeth that are near to them.


Implant-Supported Bridges
Implant-supported bridges are comparable to common dental bridges. The only difference is that they are supported by dental implants, unlike dental bridges which are supported by natural teeth. When you have more than one missing tooth, these bridges are used. They are also used when there is a probability of you putting too much pressure on the unconnected individual implants.
How to Take Care of Your Dental Bridges

Final Words
Book an appointment with us at Coquitlam Dental Group if you are interested in knowing more about dental bridges and see if you will be needing treatment. Porcelain veneers, dental bonding, teeth whitening, and more are available for our patients to tackle cosmetic defects. We fondly anticipate working with you to enhance your smile.
Frequently Asked Questions
In general, anyone can benefit from dental bridges. It is unusual for complications from dental bridges to occur. You will get to understand dental bridges works exactly like your own teeth. In as much as the teeth that will give support to the dental bridge are strong and healthy, your dental bridge will definitely serve you for a very long time.
A partial dental bridge or removable partial denture (RPD) is made up of synthetic teeth that are fixed to a small, gum-colored, or pink plastic base. Metal framework or other materials that are flexible can as well be used to hold the partial in place. If you are left with some natural teeth in your upper or lower jaw, RPDs can be a good tooth replacement option.
No. The bridge and crown will function as a replacement for your missing tooth/teeth, which means it works the way your natural teeth work. Moreover, you can chew, eat, spit, sip, and swallow with your bridges and crown. The use of Bridges will help restore your dental functions to normal.
Implants are considered As the “Good standard” by Dentists when you have to replace badly damaged teeth or filling of gaps caused by missing teeth. This makes implants a replacement for a dental bridge. Another alternative is dentures. You can opt-in for denture when you only have some teeth left and you don’t want dental implants.
Usually, dental bridges are not painful. As a matter of fact, local anesthesia is administered to kill the pain when your dentist is preparing your teeth for a bridge. After the effect of anesthesia wears off, light sensitivity or pain might be felt. The use of pain relievers may be all you need to counter the feeling.
When you properly take care of your dental bridge, it will last as long as your natural teeth will last. This is because Dental porcelain is as hard as your natural teeth enamel and it can withstand moisture and bacteria.
No, a dental bridge is referred to as a “fixed” dental prosthetic. This implies it is permanently fixed to your teeth. If you are in need of an alternative that is temporal dentures will be the best to consider.
HOW CAN WE HELP?
Schedule Your Consultation
Book a consultation with Dr. Berzin to discuss your dental implant needs. We look forward to hearing from you by phone, by email or through the contact form below.