Bridges

The name dental bridge may give you an idea of what this procedure is about. Basically, your dentist will create a bridge to close a gap where one tooth or more are missing. Generally speaking, the way to accomplish this is with a false tooth placed between two crowns. The bridge will be attached to the teeth on either side of the gap. Bridges can be made from different materials: metal (gold or alloys), porcelains or a combination of these materials. Similar to dental crowns, bridges are used for cosmetic reasons and also to restore the functionality of your mouth.

This can be the solution to give confidence to your smile, prevent other teeth to move out of their position and to help the patient to chew and speak better. There are different types of bridges: traditional, cantilever and the Maryland (or resin bonded bridges). The traditional consists of a false tooth known as a pontic, placed between two crowns, which are attached to the teeth in both sides of the gap. The cantilever is used when there are teeth on only one side of the gap left by the missing tooth or teeth. The Maryland, which is also known as resin bonded bridge, is a more conservative method that requires less preparation of the adjacent teeth. This type of bridge is also considered more aesthetic; however it will depend of each person’s particular situation if this is the appropriate type to use.