WHAT IS A DENTAL BRIDGE, AND HOW DOES IT DIFFER FROM IMPLANTS AND DENTURES?

Modern dentistry offers anyone who experiences tooth loss several options for replacing missing teeth and restoring one’s ability to smile confidently. Most people are familiar with dentures, removable false teeth that fit over the gums and have been used for centuries to replace full or partial teeth loss in an arch. Due to significant advancements in implant technologies, dental implants fused into the jawbone have emerged this century as an optimal tooth replacement solution. And, as with dentures, dental bridges have been used to replace missing teeth for centuries. However, unless you’ve been confronted with the need to replace missing teeth, you may not know exactly what a dental bridge is and how it differs from dentures and implants.

With tooth loss expertise, the dentists at Southwest Florida’s Island Tower Dentistry have restored the smiles of hundreds of their Marco Island-area patients with dental bridges, implants, and dentures. While most of their patients know what dentures are, and many understand the permanence of implants, some do not clearly understand how a dental bridge works as a tooth replacement prosthetic. Let’s take a closer look at dental bridges and examine what differentiates them from the other tooth replacement options.

WHAT IS DENTAL BRIDGE?

A dental bridge is a fixed frame that holds one or more prosthetic teeth securely anchored between healthy teeth. Constructed of metal, porcelain, or ceramic material, the frame attaches to crowns on the adjacent teeth or implants to “bridge the gap” caused by missing teeth. The prosthetic teeth are designed to be indistinguishable from natural teeth, and dentists install the bridgework in ways that hide its framing.

While bridgework provides patients with natural-looking results that allow them to speak and eat normally, it also enhances function. A dental bridge keeps the natural teeth in the correct position, helps distribute bite force, and strengthens the underlying gum tissue and jawbone.

The primary types of bridges include:

• Traditional Bridge—attaches to crowns on the adjacent abutment teeth to hold the bridge in place.
• Maryland Bridge—uses a metal or porcelain framework attached to the back of adjacent teeth rather than crowns.
• Cantilever Bridge—anchored to a crown on only one adjacent tooth. However, dentists rarely recommend this type of bridge—especially at the back of the mouth—as it can put too much damaging pressure on other teeth.
• Implant-Supported Bridge—a bridge that attaches to dental implants rather than crowns or natural teeth (often used for those getting implants in areas where the underlying bone will not support an implant).

ARE YOU A GOOD CANDIDATE FOR A DENTAL BRIDGE IN MARCO ISLAND?

Anyone who has lost one to three teeth in a row due to an accident, severe tooth decay, or damage that requires extraction is a good candidate for a dental bridge as long as their remaining teeth—or implants—can support it. The patient’s abutting teeth must be strong and not be affected by gum disease, infection, tooth decay, or large fillings that weaken the tooth.

While implants are a more permanent, longer-lasting option, some people balk at their cost and/or the complexity of the surgical procedure. Additionally, some patients cannot get implants because of weak or deteriorated jawbone tissues. Depending on the condition of the patient’s remaining teeth and jawbone, a dentist may recommend combining a bridge with implants.

Alternatively, those missing more than three teeth in a row or multiple missing teeth in different areas may be better served with full or partial dentures. For patients lacking healthy abutment teeth and strong jawbone tissues, partial or full dentures are often the only recourse for replacing multiple missing teeth.

DISCUSS YOUR TEETH REPLACEMENT OPTIONS WITH MARCO ISLAND DENTISTS

With extensive experience replacing the teeth of their Maro Island, Florida-area patients with dental bridges, implants, and dentures, Island Tower Dentistry’s Dr. Jonathan Van Dyke and Dr. Ryan Whelen can help determine which option will best restore your smile. Whatever the chosen option, Island Tower Dentistry uses all the latest technology, techniques, and materials to provide its patients with the most durable, comfortable, and realistic-looking prosthetic teeth available. For all your functional and cosmetic dental needs, contact us today at 239-394-1004 for a consultation.