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Whether you lost a tooth by accident or had to have it removed, missing teeth can cause problems for your mouth. Missing teeth can make your smile less than perfect, and affect your oral health. A dental bridge is one option for replacing the tooth and restoring your mouth.

What is a Dental Bridge?

A dental bridge is essentially a false tooth or series of teeth. In a traditional fixed bridge, two dental crowns are placed on the teeth on either side of the missing tooth, and a false tooth is placed in between. These parts all together make up the bridge. Bridges may also be used to replace multiple missing teeth. Fixed bridges are not removable.

If there are only teeth on one side of the open space, your dentist can use a cantilever bridge. In this type of bridge, two crowns are fused together. One is attached to the adjacent tooth and the other to the new false tooth.

The third type of bridge is the resin bonded bridge, which is used primarily for front teeth. It is less expensive, but the adjoining teeth must be healthy and without large fillings. In this method, the false tooth is fused to metal bands which are then bonded to the adjoining teeth with a resin and hidden from view. This type of bridge requires less preparation on the original teeth than a fixed bridge.

Missing Teeth Cause Shifting

If you have missing teeth, the consequences are not only cosmetic. If the spaces are left unfilled, they can cause the surrounding teeth to slowly move from their proper positions. If you are missing a bottom tooth, the tooth above loses its resting surface. Bite and speech patterns can be altered, and your risk of gum disease or tooth decay is increased. Missing teeth can also cause problems with chewing properly.

If you decide on a dental bridge, it will take several steps for your dentist to fit it. First, your dentist will prepare the teeth for their crowns. In order to make room for the thickness of the crowns, your dentist will need to reshape the teeth. Once the teeth are prepared, the dentist will make an impression of your mouth. This impression will be used by the dental laboratory to create your permanent bridge.

Until your permanent bridge is ready, your dentist may place a temporary bridge to protect your teeth and gums between appointments. Once the permanent bridge is created, your dentist will fit it in your mouth and make any necessary adjustment. The crowns will be all-ceramic, metal, or porcelain fused to metal.

Finishing Your Dental Bridge

The final step is cementing the new bridge to your teeth. Your dentist may use a temporary cement to allow you to adjust to the bridge, and then have you come back after a few days for any adjustments that are needed. At that time, the dentist will use permanent cement to fix the bridge to your teeth.

Bridges are made to look natural, so they can be a great solution to missing teeth that are keeping your smile from looking its best. Fixed bridges can last ten or more years as long as you maintain good oral hygiene habits.

After your bridge is fitted, you may have mild sensitivity to temperature for a few weeks. Making sure that you clean your teeth well is important for preventing infection to your teeth or gums after this type of procedure.

Dental bridges range in price from around $1000 to $3000 per tooth. The cost depends on many factors including the location of your dentist, your dental insurance plan, the type of material used in the bridge, how much preparation is needed and more. Dental bridges are often considered a cost effective tooth replacement, so the bridge may be covered by your insurance plan.

Once your bridge is in place, proper care and hygiene is very important for making sure the bridge has the longest and healthiest life possible. Brushing and flossing daily as well as regular trips to the dentist for preventive care are important. Make sure that if anything goes wrong with your bridge, you visit the dentist as soon as possible to protect your moth from infection or other serious issues.

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Article Source: How Dental Bridges Improve Your Oral Health