If you lost some teeth recently, then one of your options is to get a dental bridge. You might not have heard of dental bridges before, but even if you have, you might not fully understand how they work and what they do. Dental bridges are suited to a very specific situation and are very useful for certain individuals, but aren't particularly helpful for others. To help you figure out which category you fall into, here is an introduction to dental bridges:
What are dental bridges?
A dental bridge is essentially a form of tooth replacement that forms an anchor with the surrounding teeth. In other words, the dental bridge is placed in the gap, but must be attached to teeth on one or both sides of the bridge.
Dental bridges can also be longer than a single tooth, which means that they can easily replace several consecutive missing teeth.
What are the advantages of dental bridges?
Dental bridges are very comfortable and you will likely not even notice that you are missing any teeth. After several years with your bridge, you might not even be able to tell the difference. You'll be able to eat any food that you want and you won't need to worry about any additional maintenance.
On top of that, dental bridges can last several decades, which means that you won't need to worry about a replacement in the future. Getting a replacement can force you to get used to an entirely new bridge, but if your bridge lasts the rest of your lifetime, then you won't need to deal with that frustration.
How do dental bridges compare to implants?
Dental bridges are a little different than implants, with implants tending to cost more than bridges. The big advantage that implants have over bridges is that implants don't require anchor teeth to function. If you are unable to use adjacent teeth as anchors, then an implant might be better for you.
How do dental bridges compare to dentures?
Dentures will usually be cheaper than bridges, but that does come at a cost to comfort and durability. With dentures, you will need to take them out and clean them regularly, which means that you will always be aware of their presence. With bridges, the installation will likely be the last time that your bridge enters or leaves your mouth, unless you happen to need to get a replacement in a few decades.
Be sure to contact your dentist (like those at Louisville Family Dental and other locations) for more help and information on dental bridges.
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