A dental bridge is one of the simplest ways to restore the appearance of a lost or knocked out tooth that also preserves its functionality and dental health benefits. It is important to replace missing teeth as soon as possible, as even one vacant space in the dental arc can have a severe negative impact on the remaining teeth.

Missing teeth can leave hollows which harbour dangerous plaque forming bacteria, which will then attack other teeth. This is especially true for patients who have already lost teeth to decay or infection. Theses hollows are very difficult to clean thoroughly and need to be filled with a dental prosthetic. Vacant tooth spaces can also encourage movement within the dental arc that can result in bite interruption and painful jaw and joint conditions.

Dental bridges literally bridge the gap between missing teeth acting as a rigid support, filling in any hollow preventing the build up of bacteria and restoring the use of a functional tooth. The bridge itself is an artificial tooth, known as a pontic, attached on either side with a dental crown. The pontic is attached to the crowns using either dental bonding or resin bonded strips.

A dental bridge from a Weybridge dentist can last up to fifteen years if properly maintained, serving all the purposes of a real tooth and looking cosmetically accurate. The pontic can be specifically matched to the other teeth in the mouth for the most lifelike appearance. Dental bridges are one of the most affordable solutions to losing a tooth and don’t involve the unnecessary hassle of a less permanent replacement such as plate or partial denture.

A dental bridge is a fixed dental prosthetic used to fill a hole caused by a missing tooth. Unlike many other dental devices used to repair missing teeth, such as partial dentures, a dental bridge is not removable and is cemented to adjacent teeth often using dental crowns.

Bridges are recommended by dentists to fill holes left by missing teeth. Teeth can be lost for a number of reasons ranging from dental trauma causing a tooth to be knocked out to teeth lost due to dental decay. Gaps caused by missing teeth can cause the remaining teeth to rotate and shift into the vacant spaces. This causes an imbalance in bite which can lead to painful jaw conditions known as TMJ.

Bridges are commonly used to replace one or more missing teeth using artificial teeth supported by crowns to span the gap. The adjacent healthy teeth used as a base for the crowns are known as abutments, which support the artificial bridging teeth called pontics. Bridges and crowns can be made from a number of materials but the most authentic is probably porcelain with some composite resin bonding. This is durable and strong and can be matched to the colour of exiting teeth.

A dental bridge from a Surbiton dentist can last a lifetime if properly maintained but they can on occasion break or come loose. It is important to have regular check ups with a dentist to assess the condition of the bridge and address the need for any repairs.