There are many benefits to dental bridges beyond simply restoring your smile. They replace missing teeth, restore proper chewing and bite, shore up the shape of your face, and prevent drift of remaining teeth.
A dental bridge does exactly what its name suggests. It literally spans the gap between missing teeth using two anchoring teeth as support for the false teeth. These two anchoring teeth are called abutment teeth and the false teeth are called pontics. They are made from several materials like gold, porcelain, alloys, or a combination. Dental bridges can be anchored to implants, or natural teeth that are deemed strong enough supports.
When you get a dental bridge, the first visit will be simply prepping the abutment teeth. This requires recontouring by removing a small amount of enamel for a crown to be placed upon them. Then, a mold will be made of your teeth and sent to the lab where the crowns, pontic and bridge will be created. Normally, a temporary bridge will be worn to shield the teeth that have been recontoured until your permanent bridge is completed and fitted.
Your secondary visit will replace the temporary bridge with the permanent one. It may take several visits to continue to adjusting the fit of the metal framework properly, but once it is considered settled into place the dentist will cement it permanently.
If you have missing teeth requiring a dental bridge Dr. Sheila Poetti will be happy to help you. Please contact Cloverleaf Dental Center to make an appointment at: 203-634-8727, or come by our office in Meriden, Connecticut.