A Time-Tested Treatment: Dental Bridges
For centuries, dental bridges have been restoring form and function to the mouths of people who were missing one or more of their natural teeth. In recent years, advanced technologies and techniques have led to bridges becoming stronger and more lifelike, while dental implants now offer patients the strongest, most stable support available to date for their restorations. Truly, dental bridges are among the most important and life-changing prosthetic devices in the history of medicine.
At The Smile Center in Virginia Beach, dental bridges treatment of the most surpassing standard is available to our patients. Our talented team of dental professionals, led by Dr. Scott Parr and Dr. Tara Frey, provide patients with bridges that fit comfortably in their mouths and blend seamlessly into their smiles. If you are missing one or more of your natural teeth, we can restore health, beauty, and function to your mouth with a custom dental bridge.
What are dental bridges?
Dental bridges are appliances comprised of between one and three artificial teeth that are supported on either end by dental crowns. When these crowns are bonded to the natural teeth adjacent to a gap, the artificial teeth - called pontics - literally bridge the gap.
Alternatively, dental bridges can be attached to dental implants, sparing the natural teeth on either side of the gap from the structural alterations necessary to placing dental crowns.
What are the benefits of dental bridges?
Most people would probably agree that the loss of a tooth creates a cosmetic problem, especially if the resulting gap is obvious when a person speaks or smiles. However, the problems associated with missing teeth run far deeper than that. When a tooth is lost:
- The teeth adjacent to the gap can begin to drift toward the space, moving out of their optimal positions in the mouth. This in turn results in a compromised bite and a heightened risk of oral health problems including tooth decay and gum disease.
- The body interprets the missing tooth as a sign that the underlying supporting hard and soft tissues are no longer essential to the mouth. As a result, both the jawbone and the gums can begin to degrade.
- Everyday functions such as biting, chewing, and talking can become more difficult.
Traditional crown-supported dental bridges prevent the teeth adjacent to the gap from moving out of their optimal positions while allowing patients to bite, chew, and speak with renewed ease and confidence. Implant-supported dental bridges offer these benefits in addition to restoring a patient’s oral health. Because the dental implant posts are made of pure titanium, a substance that is treated as organic material by the human body, they fuse with the jawbone. As a result, the human body is “tricked” into believing that the tooth root is once again in place and in need of support, which halts the degradation of the jawbone.
Learn More about Dental Bridges
To learn more about restoring the appearance and health of your mouth with dental bridges, we invite you to contact The Smile Center today.