5 Crucial Facts You Should Know About Dental Bridge

Even though teeth are built to last a lifetime, it is hardly the case for many people in the world. More often than not, people lose their teeth prematurely, mainly due to severe dental decay. Aside from that, other issues like impacted teeth, orthodontics, or traumatic injuries can merit losing your natural teeth.

As you mourn the loss of your natural teeth, you must not let your mouth go a very long time without teeth. Whether you have to rush to an emergency dentist in Covington first for urgent care, consider a dental solution that can help replace your lost teeth as quickly as possible.

​What Are Dental Bridges?

They are oral appliances used in restorative dentistry to replace lost teeth. You can get a dental bridge installed in any dental clinic in Covington, as long as you have a missing tooth.

Dental bridges are preferred as less invasive alternatives for replacing teeth, compared to dental implants. However, they can be a little more invasive than dentures. The difference between dentures and dental bridges is in the number of teeth that the oral appliances can replace.

Uncommon Truths About Dental Bridges You Should Know

Before getting any treatment you must learn as much as possible about the procedure that awaits you. This helps you prepare amply for the procedure, as well as know what to expect with your results. When it comes to dental bridges, here are a couple of things that are not very much known or understood by patients:

1. Dental crowns are needed in making dental bridges – dentists in Covington GA create dental bridges using dental crowns. Ideally, a dental bridge features an artificial tooth sandwiched between two dental crowns. This is the most common type of dental bridge, highly reliable for replacing lost teeth.
2. They cannot replace many missing teeth in a row – before you get excited about getting dental bridges in family dentistry in Covington, understand that dental bridges are not for everyone. Technically, dental bridges are effective when they replace one to three missing teeth in a row. Therefore, if you have more than three teeth missing subsequently, dental bridges would not be favorable for you. Instead, your dentist may recommend getting partial dentures, or a different technique altogether.
3. Dental implants can sometimes be needed for your procedure – although, on few occasions, a dentist near you may recommend getting dental implants before dental bridges are fitted in your mouth. This is usually the case for patients who have multiple missing teeth in a row, but still want to get dental bridges. Ideally, a dental bridge only works when supported by adjacent teeth. Therefore, if you do not have adjacent teeth to support a dental bridge, then you may need dental implants to get the job done.
4. They are not installed immediately – even though installing dental bridges is not a complicated procedure, you have to wait a little while before you get your bridges installed. Technically, the first visit will allow your dentist to shape your adjacent teeth to prepare for a dental bridge. The adjacent teeth are shaved and trimmed to account for the dental crowns to be placed thereof. Once prepared, the dentist takes impressions of your mouth. These impressions are used as measurements to custom make the dental bridges that would fit your mouth perfectly. This process may take up to 4 weeks before your bridges are ready. In the meantime, however, a dentist will place temporary crowns on the prepared teeth, until your dental bridge is ready for placement.
5. There are different types of dental bridges. Even though traditional bridges are the most common, they are not the only types of bridges. Other types include Cantilever and Maryland bonded bridges. Cantilever bridges rely on only one dental crown to support the pontic replacing the lost tooth. Maryland bonded bridges, on the other hand, do not require dental crowns. Instead, they use porcelain bonded to a metal framework that wraps around the adjacent teeth to support the pontic that replaces the missing tooth. Overall, traditional bridges are the strongest because of the kind of support they acquire from dental crowns on both sides.