What Is a Bridge on Teeth?

A bridge on teeth involves a cosmetic dental procedure to restore the natural appearance and functioning of a person's teeth. A number of different variations are used to build and place a dental bridge in a patient's mouth.

Function

• The function of a dental bridge is to replace a missing tooth in a person's mouth through the permanent attachment of a false tooth anchored by crowns to existing teeth.

Types

• There are three types of dental bridges. The traditional bridge is two crowns on each side of a false tooth. A cantilever bridge is two fused crowns to fill a gap at the rear of the mouth. The Maryland bridge is plastic teeth and gums with a metal framework.

Materials

• The most commonly used materials for a bridge on teeth are gold, porcelain or porcelain fused to a metal alloy.

Misconceptions

• A common misconception about dental bridges is that they function like dentures, that they are removable. A dental bridge is permanent while partial dentures are removable.

Benefits

• The primary benefit of a dental bridge is that it is permanently attached and functions like natural teeth. Unlike dentures, there is no additional maintenance associated with a dental bridge.