If teeth have been lost due to an injury, accident, or gum disease, New Image dentists are able to create a permanent bridge that will restore your smile. Bridges can fill these gaps and keep other teeth from moving, and can also correct a misaligned bite, improve chewing and speech in certain cases, and can provide internal structure for your face.

A bridge is a dental appliance that replaces missing teeth, creating a “bridge” between the teeth that remain. Fixed bridges are joined permanently to the teeth around it, and are made of three parts: the false tooth or teeth – called a pontic – and two abutment crowns. The best style of bridge usually depends on where the gap is located and the strength of the abutment teeth.

Types of Bridges

The most popular bridge is the fixed dental bridge, which consists of a pontic attached to two crowns. These dental crowns sit on the healthy teeth near the pontic and hold the dental bridge in place.

A “Maryland” bridge often replaces the front teeth. The pontic is attached to metal bands which are bonded to the neighboring teeth. A white-colored composite resin is then used to hide the metal bands.

A cantilever bridge is generally used when abutment teeth appear only on one side of the span. To fix this, a dentist will use two abutment crowns which are set next to each other on the same side. The pontic is connected to the two crowns and extends into the missing tooth space.

Procedure

At the first appointment for a dental bridge, the dentist prepares by cleaning the neighboring teeth and numbing them with local anesthetic. In order to make the abutment crowns, the same procedure for regular crowns is followed – shaping the tooth and making a dental impression. At the end of this appointment, the patient is fitted with a temporary dental bridge. The next time the patient returns to the office, the temporary bridge is replaced with the permanent one, and is adjusted for proper bite and fit. At this point, the dental bridge is permanently bonded into the mouth.