When you are missing one or more of their natural teeth, your dentist presents them with several options for replacement.
After learning about each restorative dentistry choice, many people ask, “What is a dental bridge?” A dental bridge is a traditional way to replace missing teeth. Trusted La Grange dentist, Dr. Qureshi places brackets on the tooth to the left and right of the one that is missing to provide support for the new dental bridge. The artificial tooth sits on top of your gum line because it no longer has roots to hold it in place.
Here at Healthy Smiles of La Grange, we take special care to ensure that your replacement tooth matches the shade of your existing teeth as closely as possible. One of the reasons it’s so important to replace missing teeth is that they leave a gap that the remaining teeth may shift towards eventually. This can cause major issues with your bite and alignment.
Most Common Types of Dental Bridges
Dr. Qureshi considers the number of teeth you are missing as well as your general oral health before he recommends placement of a specific type of bridge. The fixed bridge is most popular because he can place it anywhere in your mouth. It does require two healthy teeth on either side of the missing tooth to support it. Fixed bridges are durable enough to last up to 10 years.
If you are missing a tooth towards the back of your mouth, a Cantilever bridge may be most appropriate for you. That is because this type of bridge only needs one nearby healthy tooth to support it. He may place it towards the front of your mouth if you only have one healthy tooth to support a dental bridge.
A Maryland or resin-bonded bridge is ideal if you have several consecutive missing teeth on the same arch. Dr. Qureshi uses metal bands to adhere the bridge instead of a dental crown as he does with the other two types. The bands go behind the teeth, making this option a good one for front-tooth replacement.
Learn More About Tooth Replacement Options at a Personal Consultation
If you’re living with missing teeth, we encourage you to contact our La Grange dental office to request a one-on-one appointment. We will let you know whether you are a good candidate for dental bridges or if another option would be better for you. One major advantage of dental bridges over implants is that most insurance companies provide at least some coverage for the procedure. This usually isn’t true with dental implants because carriers consider them cosmetic in nature.
