Replacing Missing Tooth with Dental Bridge
February 17th, 2008
Generally there are three basic ways to replace a missing tooth or teeth.
- Fixed Dental Bridge
- Removable Appliance
- Dental Implant
A dental bridge is a false tooth, known as a pontic, which is fused between two porcelain crowns to fill in the area left by a missing tooth. Dental bridges literally bridge the gap created by one or more missing teeth.
Dental Bridge Work
The two crowns holding it in place that are attached onto your teeth on each side of the false tooth. This is known as a fixed bridge. This procedure is used to replace one or more missing teeth. Fixed bridges cannot be taken out of your mouth as you might do with removable partial dentures.
A dental bridge is made up of two dental crowns for the teeth on either side of the gap and a false tooth in between. Natural teeth, dental implants, or a combination of natural teeth and dental implants can be used to support the bridge. The dental bridge type you choose will depend on the condition of your smile, your cost goals, and the cosmetic results you desire. Whether you are looking for a temporary or permanent tooth loss solution, there is a dental bridge ideally suited for your needs.
Benefits of Dental Bridges
- Restore your smile
- Restore your ability to properly chew and speak
- Maintain the shape of your face
- Distribute the forces in your bite properly by replacing missing teeth
- Prevent remaining teeth from drifting out of position
Types of Dental Bridges
There are three types of dental bridges:
- Traditional Bridge. This type of dental bridge work consists of two crowns for the teeth on either side of the gap, with a false tooth in between. Traditional bridges are the most commonly used type of dental bridge and are made of ceramic or porcelain fused to metal (PFM). If there are no surrounding teeth to support the crowns, dental implants can be used to fix the bridge in place.
- Cantilever Bridge. This type of dental bridge is used when there are teeth on only one side of the gap in the mouth. Two crowns fused to the replacement tooth are used to fix the bridge to the adjacent natural teeth.
- Maryland Dental Bridge. This type of dental bridge is made up of plastic teeth and gums supported by a metal framework. The Maryland bonded dental bridge is generally lower in cost than other types of bridges and is the most simple to apply.
Who Is a Candidate for Dental Bridges?
Nearly everyone who has one or more missing teeth is a candidate for a dental bridge. However, the difference between proper and improper oral hygiene is, generally, what determines the success of the dental bridge.
Proper Oral Hygiene and Care for Dental BridgesIt is important to take proper care of your dental bridge to extend its life and maintain the health of your gums and natural teeth. Daily brushing and flossing, in addition to regularly scheduled dental exams, will keep your dental bridge and oral health in top condition.
Your dentist or dental hygienist can demonstrate how to properly brush and floss your teeth. Keeping a regular cleaning schedule will help diagnose problems at an early stage when treatment has a better prognosis. If your dental bridge is in need of repair, it is recommended that you visit a dentist as soon as possible to fix the problem.
Selecting a balanced diet for proper nutrition is also important. Most bridges last 8 to 10 years with proper oral hygiene.
Dental Bridge Cost
The cost of dental bridges varies depending on the type of bridge selected and the area of the country in which the procedure is performed. Typically dental bridge cost ranges from $500-900 per tooth. Dental insurance typically pays for about half of the cost of the bridge.
In the case of a Maryland type bridge, costs range from $250 to $550 for each attaching wing and $600 to $1200 for each false tooth or pontic. But in dental tourism countries dental bridge cost can be appreciably lower, somewhere about $75-100.
You may significantly save on dental bridge procedure by traveling abroad for dental treatment. Find your best dental tourism destination.
Categories: Teeth
First, I would like to say that this post was both informative and thorough. While I have obtained a wealth of knowledge about dental bridges, from reading your work I have learned even more. Replacing missing teeth is key to maintaining one’s dental health. Your discussion of the benefits of dental bridges, made me realize that besides fixing your bite, they also help to sustain the shape of your face, and prevent drifting and loss of other teeth in your mouth. As all of these benefits are physical, I wonder what effect they have on people mentally. It is an easy assumption that those with replacement teeth have more confidence, and therefore are better able to contribute to society by means of a job etc. I think that conducting an experiment where people of the same age group are separated based on whether they are missing teeth or not, and then they are observed and compared, would result in more evidence supporting the use of dental bridges and the other restorative methods you acknowledged in your article e.g. implants and dentures. In addition, I think the experiment would expose a topic that you covered briefly in the post, the socioeconomic class of people who have dental bridges. Being less expensive than an implant, but more expensive than dentures, bridges seem to be the middle ground treatment for tooth loss. The experiment would probably show that people in lower income classes are ones that lose the most teeth because it is assumed they have the lowest overall health. Sadly, without aide, these people cannot afford bridges or any other form of tooth replacement. A question spurred from this fact, is whether or not there is the technology to mass produce a cheap, yet effective dental bridge for those who need the treatment, but are held back from it because of their income. Ultimately my question to you is if affordable tooth replacement treatments are going to be available in the United States (as many other countries are practicing “dental tourism” as you mentioned in your article) in the near future?
I cracked a tooth and had to have it removed. I was told I needed a bridge and the cost (gasp!) but no other information so that I how I ended up here. I am self employed and my husband is out of work right now so money is a real concern for us. I didn’t realize the bridge only lasts 8 to 10 years. $3000.00 every 8 to 10 years does not sound like a good option. The dentist didn’t recommend the implants but if if they are more permanent, that sounds like a better option in the long run, cost wise.
We have medical cards through the state (we are officially in the low income category that you speak of, though we are both highly educated–it is just a tough economy with too many people looking for too few jobs!)but it does not cover dental work. Dental health should be a part of medical care just as the rest of the body. Perhaps when we finally get a Democrat in the White House again we can begin to fix the health care crisis in this country!