Dental Bridges
Fort Worth, TX
Dental bridges help bridge or fill the space in your mouth for your missing teeth or tooth. To bridge the gap created by a missing tooth, we use a false tooth known as a “pontic.” The teeth that hold the pontic in place of the missing teeth are called the “abutment teeth.” These abutment teeth can be natural teeth, or they may be a dental implant. The pontic is usually made with porcelain material to make it look like a natural tooth, but gold, silver, alloy, and other materials are used in pontics, as well. We here at HomeTown Dental, Fort Worth (Sycamore) can help you fill your missing teeth with attractive and natural-looking dental bridges.
Why Do You Need A Bridge?
Having missing teeth can cause a number of problems. Some of the most common problems caused by missing teeth are lack of confidence to smile, not being able to chew food properly, misalignment in face shape and jawline, and other teeth moving out of place. In some cases of multiple teeth missing, it can also affect your speech and pronunciation ability. Bridges help in addressing all of these problems.
Who Should Have A Dental Exam?
According to the recommendations of the ADA, everyone should have regular dental exams. This is especially true if you feel any discomfort or if you see any signs of infection in your teeth, gums, or anywhere in your mouth. Not only should adults have their teeth checked regularly, so should children. Senior citizens and patients without their own natural teeth should also have regular dental check-ups, as we are not only checking for tooth decay during your appointment.
Traditional, Cantilever, Or Maryland Dental Bridges
Traditional bridges are the most common and popular choice for patients. The traditional bridge procedure is led by cementing the dental crowns onto each of the abutment teeth. These dental crown acts as anchors to hold the pontic in place of the missing teeth or the gap between the abutment teeth.
The cantilever bridge is almost the same as the traditional bridge. The only difference is that it needs only one abutment teeth to attach the dental crowns that hold the pontic. In other words, one natural tooth next to the gap is enough support for the bridge.
The Maryland bridge procedure also involves two abutment teeth, but it does not require dental crowns to hold the pontic. It instead uses a metal or porcelain framework bonded onto the back of the abutment teeth. While less common, it is still an option for our patients.
How Long The Procedure Takes And How Long It Lasts
The entire process – from preparing the dental crowns to cementing and fitting the pontic or bridge properly, down to the last visit – may take up to a couple of weeks. However, this is only an estimate, as it varies from individual to individual. On the first visit, we will prepare your abutment teeth for dental crowns by removing a portion of enamel to make room for it.
In the next step, we make an impression of the missing teeth, which helps in constructing the pontic, crowns, and bridge. Then, we will provide you a temporary pontic until the next visit, when we will remove it and fit the new one. After that, multiple visits may required to check the positioning and fit of the bridge and adjusting it if needed. After cementing the bridge permanently, it may last five to fifteen years, depending on oral hygiene, care, and regular check-ups.
Are You The Right Candidate For Dental Bridges?
Usually, if you are free from any serious health issues, gum diseases, and other complications, then you are probably the right candidate for dental bridges. However, you must first visit us so that we can determine if you may benefit from a dental bridge. You can contact us here at HomeTown Dental, Fort Worth (Sycamore) for a visit by calling us at (817) 224-2251 today.