A dental bridge will transform your smile by replacing the missing tooth on your mouth if other teeth remain on both sides.

A tooth bridge is supposed to bridge the gap between your teeth. It is made of two or more crowns intended for the teeth on either side of your gap. The teeth or anchoring teeth are called abutment teeth. In addition, it has false teeth called pontics in between the abutment teeth. The pontics can be made from alloys, porcelain gold, or a combination of all the materials. Dental implants or natural teeth can support dental bridges.

Types of Dental Bridges

There are three different types of bridges available, and they include:

• Traditional bridges

Traditional bridges have crowns for the implant or the tooth on either side of your missing tooth with a pontic between them. They are made of porcelain material fused with ceramics or metals and are the most common type of bridge.

• Maryland bonded bridges

It is also known as the resin-bonded bridge. They are made up of porcelain fused to metal or porcelain or plastic teeth and gums supported by porcelain framework or metal. The metal or the porcelain wings on one side of the bridge are bonded to your natural teeth.

• Cantilever bridges

These bridges are only used when there are adjacent teeth on one side of the missing teeth. However, it is not recommended in the back of the mouth as it can put too much force on the molars and damage them. Therefore, the cantilever bridge is not very common anymore.

How Is a Dental Bridge Used to Replace a Missing Tooth?

The dental bridge procedure is a two-appointment process that a specialized dentist does. Your first visit to get a dental bridge involves the preparation of the abutment teeth. This consists of recontouring your teeth by removing a part of your enamel to allow room for the placement of a crown. After this, impressions of your teeth are made, which serves as a model from which the pontic and bridge will be made at the dental lab. Your dentist will make a bridge for you as you wait for the permanent ones. The temporary bridge is meant to protect the exposed gums and teeth.

Your second visit involves the removal of the temporary bridge and placement of new porcelain or metal bridge. The bridge will be checked and adjusted to achieve a proper fit. Our dentist in Watsonville may recommend multiple visits to check the fit of your dental bridge. This depends on the individual’s teeth and case.

If the bridge is fixed in your case, your dentist has to temporarily cement it for a couple of weeks to ensure that it fits properly. After some time, the bridge will then be cemented into place. You will not experience any discomfort during the procedure.

Benefits of Dental Bridges

Dental bridges improve the aesthetic and health of your teeth. It is also beneficial in the following number of ways:

• It restores your smile into an aesthetic one
• Converts the ability for you to speak and pronounce words properly
• Restores the ability for you to chew properly
• Maintains the shape of your face
• It prevents remaining teeth from moving out of their position
• Helps distribute the forces applied in your bite by replacing your missing teeth

How Do You Take Care of Dental Bridges?

It is essential to keep the remaining teeth strong and healthy because the success of your bridge lies on the foundation offered by the other tooth. This care can be in the form of:

• Brushing your teeth twice a day
• Flossing using fluoride floss
• Using an antiseptic mouthwash twice a day to prevent gum disease and tooth decay, which may cause tooth loss
• Keeping a balanced diet for proper nutrition
• Adhering to scheduled dental check-ups and cleanings

Tooth bridges can last up to fifteen years if taken good care of. This is done by observing good oral hygiene and regular dental check-ups. If you need dental bridges in Watsonville, CA, Watsonville Family Dental is the right place for you.