What Is a Dental Bridge?
A dental bridge is a device used to replace missing teeth. A bridge attaches artificial teeth (pontics) to adjacent teeth called abutment teeth.
Fixed bridges are applied by either placing crowns on the abutment teeth or by bonding the artificial teeth directly to the abutment teeth.
Why would I need a Dental Bridge?
All your teeth play an important role in your appearance, in speech, chewing and in maintaining proper alignment of other teeth. Teeth are designed to compliment each other. Unusual forces and stresses are placed on neighbouring teeth when a tooth is lost or missing causing a number of potentially harmful disorders.
Problems with missing teeth might include:
- Adjacent teeth drifting and shifting
- Teeth in the opposing dental arch moving out of its socket (over eruption)
- loss of a back tooth can cause your mouth to sink and your face to look older
- Acceleration of gum disease
- Potential food traps
- Increased risk of decay of neighbouring teeth
- Further loss of tooth space
- Jaw joint degeneration (TMJ)
- Jaw muscle problems
Before and After Dental Bridges
If a missing tooth is not replaced, more teeth will eventually be lost due to improper forces exerted during chewing.
What are the benefits of Bridgework? Dental Bridge vs Implants
Getting a dental bridge is both a restorative and cosmetic dental treatment. It is just one of the treatments available to fix missing teeth. A Dental Bridge is an alternative to Dental Implants, and depending on your situation can be a more cost-effective way to replace a missing tooth.
Bridge treatment reverses the negative effects of missing teeth in a variety of ways:
- Restores and maintains the natural bite
- Prevents unnatural stresses on other teeth
- Keeps opposing teeth in their proper place
- Prevents shifting and drifting of adjacent teeth
- Discourages further dental decay and periodontal disease
- Enhances your smile, speech and chewing function
Before and after bridge treatment
Bridgework is a long-term solution to replace lost teeth, support remaining teeth and help you maintain optimum dental health.
If you are considering a dental bridge or dental implants as solutions to fix your smile and replace missing teeth then we would recommend an initial consultation to assess your situation and present your alternatives. Call us on (08) 8449 9777 to book your consultation now.