Bridges.
Restore Your Confidence
At Beyond Smiles Family Dental, our custom dental bridges are an excellent solution for replacing missing teeth, restoring both functionality and aesthetics to your smile. A bridge fills the gap left by one or more missing teeth by anchoring a replacement tooth to the adjacent natural teeth or implants.
What is a dental bridge?
A dental bridge is a fixed dental restoration that fills the space where teeth are missing, “bridging” the gap. Typically, it consists of one or more artificial teeth (known as pontics) held in place by crowns on adjacent natural teeth or dental implants. Dental bridges not only improve your smile’s appearance but also prevent other teeth from shifting, enhancing your bite and maintaining facial shape.
Benefits of dental bridges:
- Restored function: With a bridge, you can chew and speak comfortably again.
- Natural appearance: Bridges are designed to match your natural teeth, giving you a seamless smile.
- Preventing shifting: Filling gaps left by missing teeth keeps adjacent teeth from drifting, preventing misalignment.
- Enhanced stability: Unlike removable dentures, bridges are fixed in place, providing a secure and comfortable fit.
- Improved facial structure: Bridges maintain facial structure by supporting lips and cheeks, especially when multiple teeth are missing.
Types of dental bridges:
- Traditional Dental Bridge: This is the most common type, involving two crowns placed on the teeth adjacent to the gap. These crowns support the artificial tooth or teeth, providing a stable, natural-looking bridge.
- Cantilever Bridge: In situations where only one side of the missing tooth has a natural tooth to act as an anchor, a cantilever bridge can be used. This is less common and generally used for areas with less bite pressure.
- Maryland Bonded Bridge (Resin-Bonded Bridge): This bridge is ideal for front teeth. It uses a metal or porcelain framework with wings that are bonded to the back of adjacent teeth. It is less invasive, as it doesn’t require crowns on the adjacent teeth.
- Implant-Supported Bridge: For patients missing multiple teeth, an implant-supported bridge is an excellent choice. This type of bridge uses dental implants instead of crowns on natural teeth for support, providing optimal stability and durability.