A cantilever dental bridge uses either three or four teeth on one side of the mouth to anchor the bridge, with the remaining tooth anchoring the opposite end of the bridge. If you’re missing several teeth, you can have more than one cantilever dental bridge in your mouth at once. They are used to replace a single missing tooth, and because they don’t have a fixed connection point, they can move slightly with your jaw as you bite down on food or chew gum.
A dental bridge replaces missing teeth
It’s comprised of two crowns, anchored on either side of an empty space in your mouth. A natural-looking artificial tooth then connects these crowns by spanning over that empty space. Often times, dental bridges are used to replace one missing tooth—but they can be crafted for use with multiple missing teeth as well.
Benefits of getting a dental bridge
A dental bridge is a great option for those who want to replace missing teeth, look good and feel confident about smiling again. There are plenty of benefits to getting a dental bridge for yourself or for your child, including improving your ability to chew food and decreasing your risk of tooth decay and other oral problems. No matter what age you are or what type of lifestyle you lead, if you’re missing one or more teeth, consider how much better life can be with a dental bridge from City Smiles in Lubbock. We’ll help you determine whether it makes sense for you and which type would be best suited to meet your needs—and budget.
Components of the dental bridge
A dental bridge connects two teeth on either side of a gap and teeth gap filling missing on teeth. It can be used to replace one tooth, several teeth or even an entire row of teeth. In order to work, it must have anchor teeth on either end—these are typically molars or premolars that are healthy and strong enough to support both ends of the bridge.
Anchor teeth should be at least 6mm apart, since 5mm isn’t wide enough for proper fit. If there aren’t enough healthy anchor teeth available in your mouth, you may need implants instead of a cantilever bridge dental.
How are they made
A dental bridge is fabricated by an experienced lab technician. First, teeth adjacent to either side of your missing tooth are prepared so that crowns can be made for them. Next, two crowns are made: one for each prepared tooth. Your dentist will then use porcelain to fabricate a bridge that spans from one prepared tooth to another with your missing tooth in between. Then you’ll have the opportunity to review your dental bridge design before it’s fabricated. When everything checks out and you’re happy with how it looks, it will be sent back to our lab where technicians will match its color with that of your other teeth and anchor it in place using metal posts that screw into place inside your natural molars.
Factors you need to consider before getting one
Your new dental bridge can change your life, but you’ll need to take care of it so that it will last for years. Some simple steps to maintaining your dental bridge are brushing and flossing regularly, limiting sweets and sugary drinks, chewing gum when consuming large meals, and regular dental checkups to make sure everything is going well. No matter what type of bridgework you have or why you need one, don’t forget about one important factor: health insurance. check with your provider to find out how much coverage you can get for services like bridges.
The procedure involved in getting one
A cantilever bridge is a fixed dental restoration that replaces missing teeth. The procedure of getting one involves four visits to our office, which includes two appointments for impressions and radiographs and two appointments for fabrication. After leaving impressions of your mouth, Dr. McDermott will fabricate your new dental bridge in our lab under high magnification using metal alloys, porcelain laminates and porcelain-fused-to-metal (PFM) substructures to create your new fixed prosthesis. The entire process takes approximately 3 months from start to finish. To ensure proper fit and placement of your new cantilever bridge you will need to return approximately 4 times throughout treatment.
Tips on maintaining your dental bridge
With proper care, your dental bridge should last for several years. The more time you take to care for your bridge and teeth, the better off you’ll be. A strong bridge depends on healthy supporting teeth that surround it. When taking out food debris from around and under dental bridges, do so gently using soft bristled toothbrushes and flosses at least twice per day. Always contact us if you have any questions or concerns about maintaining your dental bridges!