When you meet someone with gapped teeth, that is usually the first thing you notice. What you do not see is the internal deterioration missing teeth are causing in that person’s mouth. Dental bridges are a sound solution to the problem, replacing a single missing tooth or several in a row. Patients from Hartland to White Lake, Commerce Township, Milford, and Highland, MI know they can trust Milford Dental and Associates for crown and bridge units that stabilize oral structures, restore function, and look natural.
What happens when a tooth is lost?
Even one missing tooth allows its companions to shift. As teeth go crooked, food is more apt to get trapped in nooks, and hygiene becomes a challenge. Missing teeth increase the risk of developing decay or gum disease. Misalignment can also impact bite, triggering TMJ problems and headaches, or causing teeth to wear prematurely.
Types of dental bridges
- A conventional dental bridge spans the space left by a missing tooth. In most cases, a bridge has crowns on each end that fit over prepared existing teeth. The artificial tooth (called a pontic) sits on top of gum tissue, anchored securely by the crowns.
- A front teeth bridge may have a different design. A Maryland bonded bridge has appendages on each side of the pontic, rather than crowns. These “wings” are cemented to the backs of teeth adjacent to the gap, so that healthy structure does not have to be reduced for crowns.
- When three to five consecutive teeth are missing, an implant retained bridge can be a cost-effective alternative to implant replacement. Just two dental implants hold the span of pontics.
- Historically, a cantilever bridge, with only one anchor crown, was used to replace a molar in the furthest position at the back of the mouth. Today, this tooth would be replaced with a dental implant.
The doctors of Milford Dental and Associates take extra care during the design and placement process to ensure your satisfaction with the restoration. You receive hands-on instruction in oral hygiene to avoid dental bridge problems in the future. If you should ever damage the unit or the fit changes, dental bridge repair can often be completed right here at Milford Dental and Associates.
Dental implants are not your only option for tooth replacement. Talk with our team in Highland, MI, about dental bridges. Our number is (248) 685-0941.
