Dental bridges replace one or more adjacent teeth. With a dental bridge, you can fill the gap in your smile and enjoy your favourite foods again. Bell Hill Dental provides patients near Dunedin, Otago with high-quality dental bridges to improve their oral health and give them the smile they’ve always wanted.
What Is a Dental Bridge?
A bridge consists of two or more crowns for teeth on each side of the missing tooth and an artificial tooth to fill in the gap. The teeth on each side of the gap are called ‘abutments’ and the teeth that fill in the gap are called ‘pontics’. Pontics can be made from porcelain, alloys or a combination of materials. Natural teeth or dental implants support dental bridges.
Benefits of Dental Bridges
Dental bridges can accomplish several things:
- Restore your smile’s appearance and function
- Restore the ability to bite and chew food
- Restore the ability to speak and pronounce words clearly
- Maintain your face’s shape
- Prevent other teeth from shifting in the mouth
- Distribute biting forces and equalise your bite
Types of Dental Bridges
The three main types of dental bridges are:
- Traditional – Traditional bridges are made of ceramics or porcelain-fused-to-metal. A traditional bridge has a crown for the tooth on each side of the gap with a pontic in between.
- Cantilever – Cantilever bridges replace missing teeth in the back of the mouth or when there are neighboring teeth on only one side of the gap.
- Maryland – Maryland bridges are made of various materials––plastic, porcelain, or porcelain-fused-to-metal––supported by a porcelain or metal framework.
The Dental Bridge Process in Dunedin, Otago
First Appointment
During your first visit with our dentist in Dunedin, we prepare the abutment teeth by recontouring them, so the crown fits precisely. Next, we take impressions of your teeth, which serve as a model from which we make your restoration and tooth replacement. While we wait for the completion of your bridge, we will provide you with a temporary one to wear in the meantime.
Second Appointment
During the second appointment, we remove the temporary bridge and adjust the final one to make sure it meets your expectations in how it looks and feels. We also check your bite and the fit of the framework.
If you have a fixed dental bridge, we may temporarily cement it to ensure it’s functional and comfortable. After a couple of weeks, we can cement the bridge into place.
Contact Bell Hill Dental for Dental Bridges in Dunedin
Do you have one or more missing teeth? We invite you to contact our dental practice to learn more about your options. Our dentists in Dunedin, Otago can help you restore your smile and improve your oral health.
We look forward to welcoming you to Bell Hill Dental!
