dental bridge pictures
Dental bridges are dental restorations used to replace one or more missing teeth. They can be crafted from a variety of materials, including porcelain, ceramic, gold, and compositeć ‘č„‚. The primary goal of a dental bridge is to improve the patient's esthetics, pronunciation, and ability to chew, while providing support and stability to the surrounding teeth.
Traditionally, dental bridges are held in place by crowns on the teeth on either side of the void left by the missing tooth. These crowns are attached to the abutment teeth, which are the teeth adjacent to the gap. When multiple teeth are missing, a traditional fixed bridge may be needed, which involves placing crowns on all the abutment teeth and adding a pontic (artificial tooth) in the center to fill the space.
In recent years, cantilever bridges have become less-common due to advancements in dental technology. A cantilever bridge consists of a single crown on one abutment tooth, with the pontic extending out towards the missing tooth. This type of bridge is typically used when only one side of the gap has a natural tooth present.
Maryland bridges are another option for patients missing front teeth. These bridges are created by bonding porcelain or composite resin wings to the back of the abutment teeth on either side of the missing tooth. The wings are designed to fit snugly against the chewing surfaces of the adjacent teeth, providing a stable and esthetic solution.
Implant-supported bridges are a more complex and invasive option for replacing missing teeth. They involve the surgical placement of dental implants in the jawbone, which act as the new tooth roots. Once the implants have integrated with the bone, a bridge can be placed over the tops of the implants. This type of bridge requires a additional surgery for the implant placement and typically requires longer recovery time.
Visual representations of dental bridge pictures can be seen below. These images are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent actual patients.
