What is a bridge from your Mission Viejo, CA (92691) dentist?

Traditionally, the term dental bridge applied to one type of device. Today, these appliances are often called crown-and-bridge units, to differentiate them from the more modern implant supported devices. A traditional bridge is composed of two main components – crowns and pontics.

There are typically two crowns, one at each end of the unit. The abutment teeth (those adjacent to the gap) support and stabilize the unit. These teeth are reduced in size and shaped for optimal retention of crowns. The pontic is the actual false tooth, which is permanently joined with the crowns on either side. When the crowns are bonded to the abutment teeth, the pontic fills the gap, giving the appearance of an intact, natural smile.

There are variations of this traditional design. In some instances, there may be more than two crowns, or more than one pontic, depending on the location and number of missing teeth, and the condition of the existing teeth. There is also a special style of bridge, which can be used when there is only one abutment tooth available.

Although bridges are attractive, and restore chewing functionality, many patients find them bulky and uncomfortable. Additionally, the alteration and crowning of healthy teeth leaves them susceptible to decay, especially since it can be quite difficult to remove all food debris and plaque accumulation under the pontic. The modern, healthy solution to this problem is an implant-supported dental restoration. If a single tooth is missing, it may be replaced by one implant topped with a specially designed crown. If several teeth are missing, they may be replaced with a different type of dental bridge.

Today, the term dental bridge can also apply to an implant supported restoration. This type of bridge is very similar to the traditional design, with one very important difference. It does not rely on your natural, healthy teeth for support. Therefore, there is no need to grind away healthy tooth structure.

An implant-supported bridge consists of several prosthetic teeth fused together into a solid unit. In most cases, an implant is placed for every missing tooth. However, this technique has some advantages over replacing teeth with separate implant-topped crowns. It gives your dentist greater flexibility in locating the implants. If there is an area of thin or poor quality bone, the implant spacing can be altered to seat them in the strongest areas. The bridge is custom-made to fit the planned configuration.

If you have gaps in your smile, Drs. Nina and Alex Basti of Mission Viejo, CA (92691) have a beautiful solution! Call us at 949-427-2096 and schedule a consultation to find out what option is best for you.