Dental Bridge is a fixed partial denture that has crown parts attached to the natural teeth on both sides and a pontic part suspended in the middle. It is used to replace 1-2 missing natural teeth.
Advantages of Dental Bridges
- Provides aesthetics
- Is a fixed denture
- Provides strength in cases where the two abutment teeth are not strong and require crowns
- Durable and long-lasting
- Completed within 2 visits
- Less complicated procedure than dental implants
Disadvantages of Dental Bridges
- Requires significant tooth reduction if the adjacent teeth are healthy. Both adjacent teeth need to be prepared, especially if their alignment differs. Some cases may also require root canal treatment.
- More expensive than removable partial dentures
- Cleaning is more difficult and requires special tools and good maintenance
Types of Dental Bridges
- Traditional Bridge: Consists of crowns (Crown or Retainer) and a pontic, used to replace 1-2 missing natural teeth
- Cantilever Bridge: This type has a metal wing behind the abutment tooth without crown preparation. It is bonded to the abutment tooth using dental adhesive.
Care and Maintenance
Care is similar to that of crowns, but since the crown part of the bridge is attached to the pontic, cleaning is more difficult. In addition to brushing, interdental flossing requires the use of Superfloss or a floss threader along with dental floss to clean under the pontic and between the crown and pontic. Patients with manual dexterity issues, schizophrenia, or those unable to maintain oral hygiene independently may not be suitable candidates for this type of denture.
