Losing one or more teeth can make you self-conscious and cause teeth to shift. However, dentists can prevent further issues and restore your smile with a dental bridge. These devices are permanent replacements for your missing teeth, and they look and function naturally. Below is more information about them, including the various types that dentists use.

What Are Dental Bridges?

A bridge is one or more custom-made teeth that fill a gap in your smile. They are typically porcelain, and utilize the remaining natural teeth to stay in place. Although a bridge will prevent remaining teeth from shifting and maintain your bite, they also prevent bone loss when you combine them with other devices. This ensures that you have a natural-looking smile and can eat food without issues.

What Are the Different Types of Dental Bridges?

Conventional Bridge

If you only lose a single tooth, and there are two healthy teeth on both sides of the gap, a dentist will use a conventional bridge. This consists of a false tooth and two adjoining crowns to hold the bridge in place. Your doctor will file the healthy teeth to make room for the replacement before adjusting and cementing the bridge. This resembles three teeth.

Cantilever

If there is only one natural tooth next to the missing tooth, a cantilever bridge is usually the best option. This design is similar to the traditional unit except there is only one crown that connects to the custom-designed tooth.

Maryland

This design is also similar to a traditional option. However, instead of using crowns, the tooth connects to metal or porcelain frames. This is only viable when there are natural teeth on either side of the gap. Your dentist will bond the frames to the adjacent natural teeth after shaping them to create space.

Implant-Supported

When the jawbone can support a dental implant—an artificial tooth root—your dentist may place an abutment to support a crown or bridge. This is necessary when you need to replace more than one tooth, and the bridge will connect to multiple implants. For instance, if three teeth in a row are missing, but the jaw could only support two implants, a bridge will likely go between two implant-supported crowns. 

When you want to replace a missing tooth and restore your smile, contact Allen S. Braumiller Jr. DDS, PC, in Coweta, OK. For over 33 years, this locally owned and operated office has been providing dental care services that range from oral exams and fillings, to dental bridges and root canals. Call (918) 486-6516 to schedule an appointment, and visit the website to learn more about their services.