dental servicesdental services

Tooth Replacement

Fixed Partial Dentures (Bridges)

Bridges are collections of interconnecting crowns that can be used to restore missing or severely damaged teeth. Dental bridges literally bridge the gap created by one or more missing teeth. For example, a bridge may comprise two crowns on either side of a gap, with a false tooth or teeth in the middle. These artificial teeth can be made from gold, metal alloys, porcelain or a combination of these.

If you’re missing some teeth, you may consider it a minor issue, but this can in fact cause serious problems. Over time, missing teeth can cause your teeth to actually move out of position in your mouth. This can adversely affect your bite, as well as lead to the loss of even more teeth, gum disease and severe tooth decay, plus you may even suffer from migraines as a result of your dental problems. If you’re experiencing these kinds of symptoms, a visit to your dentist will determine if you are a candidate for dental bridgework.

It should be pointed out that the natural teeth used to support the bridge need to be trimmed down, to allow the bridge to be fitted. This can lead to damage, which could later result in the patient requiring additional treatment, such as a root canal. The abutment teeth, that is the natural teeth used to support the bridge, may also become overloaded due to the stress placed on them, as two teeth are required to perform the work of three and so on. The difficulty of adequately cleaning under a false tooth can also lead to the development of cavities or problems with gum tissue. Finally, it should be noted that dental bridges might be costly when compared to dentures, for example, with the cost not being fully covered by your insurance company.