Dental Bridges

Dental Bridges in Gainesville, VA
 

Bridges are falling out of favor as dental implants advance, because a bridge often requires cutting down two or more healthy neighboring teeth to anchor it. In Dr. Adi’s opinion, that may be too aggressive a procedure in this day and age. Call us to meet Dr. Adi and learn about your alternatives to a dental bridge.
 

A dental bridge is a false tooth used to fill the gap left by one or more missing teeth. A gap can be harmful to your dental health, because it allows your teeth to shift and change your bite.
 

A bridge can be a second option for solving this problem. It uses the two neighboring teeth as anchors to hold a false tooth in the gap. Typically, porcelain crowns are placed over the neighboring teeth, and the false tooth, called a pontic, is fused between them.
 

Types of Dental Bridges
 

There are three types of bridges commonly used today:
 

1. Traditional fixed bridge: The most common type. Porcelain crowns are placed over the two neighboring teeth and used as anchors to hold the false tooth in place. The false tooth is usually made of porcelain fused to metal or ceramic.

2. Cantilever bridge: Used when there are teeth on only one side of the gap. These are typically placed in areas that don’t handle heavy chewing forces, such as the front teeth.

3. Resin-bonded bridge: Metal bands are bonded to the neighboring teeth with resin and used to hold a plastic false tooth in place. This type is typically used in lower-stress areas of the mouth, such as the front teeth.

How It’s Done
 

Placing a bridge requires at least two visits. The first visit has three key steps:
 

1. The neighboring teeth are prepared for crowns, which may include filing them down so the crowns fit over them.

2. An impression of your teeth is taken and sent to a lab, where the bridge and crowns are made.

3. The dentist fits you with a temporary bridge to protect your teeth while the permanent one is made.

At the second visit, the temporary bridge is removed, and the new bridge from the lab is fitted and adjusted. Additional visits may be needed to check and fine-tune the fit.