Bridges

A dental bridge, sometimes also referred to as a fixed partial denture, consists of a false tooth or teeth being held in place by dental crowns which are also sometimes called abutments. While it may sound intimidating, it is actually a very common procedure. A dental bridge can fill in missing spaces and give you back a beautiful smile you may have missed out on otherwise.

Much like the process of a crown, the procedure for a dental bridge is completed in two appointments. Depending on your circumstances or the extent of your treatment, more appointments may be necessary. For example, if you require an extraction and know you want to proceed with a bridge following that extraction – your treatment would take more than just two appointments; or if you have multiple missing teeth and plan to do a very large bridge. There are many other circumstances too that may require more appointments leading up to the actual dental bridge appointments but nonetheless, the final two appointments for making the bridge will be similar.

The first appointment usually lasts about two hours and involves Dr. Gary S. Barker prepping the teeth for the dental bridge. A local anesthetic will be provided to keep you comfortable throughout treatment. The prep includes shaping the adjacent teeth for the crowns (or abutments), taking impressions, choosing a tooth color to match your surrounding teeth and placing a temporary bridge. Most of the time, the temporary bridge is made during this appointment by Dr. Gary S Barker but in specific cases, sometimes a temporary bridge is fabricated beforehand by the lab. If this is a necessary step for your treatment, it will be discussed beforehand and will involve an extra 15 minute appointment prior to the bridge “prep” appointment. Finally, the impressions taken during the first appointment are sent to the lab where they will fabricate a permanent bridge custom fit for you. Fabrication at the lab usually takes about two weeks. At the final appointment for the dental bridge, the temporary bridge will be removed and the permanent bridge will be cemented with permanent cement. This appointment only takes about 30 minutes and unless you are experiencing a lot of sensitivity there is usually no reason to use a local anesthetic.

When deciding on a dental bridge for your treatment, Dr. Gary S. Barker will review the different types of dental bridges and recommend the best one for you. There are four main types of dental bridges:

• Traditional

  • This is the most popular type of dental bridge and the one most commonly done in our office. The traditional bridge consists of a false tooth (also known as a pontic) or teeth being held in place by dental crowns (or abutments) which are cemented onto your natural teeth.

• Cantilever

  • While the Cantilever bridge is similar to a traditional bridge, the false tooth (or pontic) of a cantilever dental bridge is only held in place by one crown (or abutment) instead of two or more. This type of bridge is used when there is a missing tooth with no other teeth on one side, so you only need one natural tooth next to the missing tooth gap. This type of bridge does not offer the support or strength of a traditional dental bridge but is a great option when natural teeth are not present to complete a traditional bridge.

• Maryland

  • Also similar to a traditional bridge, the Maryland dental bridge requires two natural teeth – one on each side of the missing tooth gap. Where the traditional bridge uses dental crowns, the Maryland bridge uses a framework which is bonded onto the backs of the natural teeth. Unlike with a traditional bridge, the Maryland bridge does not require any “prep” of the adjacent teeth so enamel does not need to be removed prior to placement of a Maryland bridge. This type of bridge is only ideal for patients who have good oral hygiene and healthy neighboring teeth.

• Implant-supported

  • This is considered the strongest and most stable type of bridge and commonly requires two surgeries. As the name implies, an implant-supported bridge makes use of dental implants opposed to crowns or framework. The first surgery is required to place the implant into the jawbone where a tooth (or teeth) is missing. The second surgery is the processes of fabricating and placing the bridge. The whole process can take several months to be completely finished.

Are you missing one or several teeth? Call our office at 410-647-6453 so Dr. Gary S Barker can begin with an assessment of your need for restorative dental treatment for replacing lost teeth or teeth that require extraction. We will tell you the truth as to whether dental bridges, dental implants, crowns or another option is the best solution.