When you have lost one or two adjacent teeth, a bridge is a common option for replacement. A bridge consists of one or two prosthetic teeth anchored to an adjacent tooth or teeth with crowns or wires. It is a permanent tooth replacement, but bridges do not include an artificial tooth root.
Replacing Lost Teeth
If you’ve lost a tooth, talk to your dentist about the most appropriate method for replacing it. It’s important to replace any lost teeth, even if it’s just one, because your other teeth will move out of position if there is a gap. This can lead to a variety of long-term problems, including severe wear and tear and eventual loss of more teeth.
Tooth replacement options include:
- Full denture
- Partial denture
- Bridge
- Dental implants
It’s possible to replace one or two missing teeth with a partial denture, but many people in this circumstance choose a bridge instead. A bridge provides a permanent, stationary replacement that is anchored to adjacent teeth. The anchoring approach can involve either dental crowns or wires. The bridge will help keep your other teeth from shifting out of place and ensure that you maintain proper alignment.
How Bridges Work
If you’ve lost one or two teeth right next to a healthy tooth, or between two other healthy teeth, a bridge might be a viable option to replace the tooth. If there is only one adjacent tooth, a bridge probably won’t work as well unless you’re replacing a single tooth. Otherwise, the bridge can be securely anchored between the two remaining natural teeth.
Dental crowns, usually tooth-colored, are used as support for the prosthetic teeth. The crown and bridge unit, then, consists of one or two prosthetic teeth attached to one or two crowns that are designed to go over the natural teeth on either side. The adjacent teeth are altered to make room for the crowns, then the bridge is set into place. If wires are used, the adjacent teeth are also altered, but not as dramatically.
Call our office today to speak with a caring member of our team and set up a consultation with our own Dr. Kemp!