Bridge the Gap of a Lost Tooth with a Bridge Treatment

            When we’re young, losing a tooth can be an exciting time. It might be surprising the first time it happens, but a lot of times our parent would tell us to put it under our pillow and we’d find money in the tooth’s place. As a kid, this can be very exciting. After the permanent tooth replaces the baby tooth, we do our best to keep the permanent teeth in place by taking good care of them. Sometimes, a permanent tooth may fall out due to an accident or poor care, but a bridge treatment can make it like the tooth was never lost.

            Types of Bridge Treatments

            There are three types of bridge treatments to replace lost teeth. The most common treatment is the traditional bridge treatment which sets a false tooth in between two capped teeth. The teeth adjacent to the gap are filed down to accommodate caps which support a metal or ceramic bridge, the middle of which supports the pontic, or false tooth.

            Cantilever bridges are are necessary if there is only one tooth adjacent to the lost one. They are uncommon and are also not recommended for use at the end of a teeth array, as the pressure from chewing toward the back of your mouth is very strong and can more easily break the bridges.

            For people who do not wish to file down adjacent teeth to support a bridge, resin bonded bridges (or Maryland bridges) can be used instead. The false tooth itself contains the metal or porcelain framework and the tooth is bonded to adjacent teeth using a resin to secure it in place.

            Getting a Bridge Treatment

            There are two parts to getting a bridge: preparation and installation. On the first visit for a bridge treatment, your mouth will be prepared for the framework. The teeth adjacent to a gap will be filed down so that a crown can be placed over them. A casting of your mouth will be used to help the lab created a bridge that will snuggly and securely fit your teeth once they have been prepared.

            The bridge construction can take a few weeks to properly build, so you’ll be given a temporary bridge in the meantime. On your second visit, the temporary bridge will be removed and the permanent bridge will be installed. Most of the time, patients will be all set after this second visit, but sometimes it is necessary to come back again to adjust the fit and make sure it is secure.