All the care that we give our teeth–both home hygiene, and our biannual dental appointments–are to keep our teeth healthy and strong for as long as we can so we never need to replace them. If we don’t protect our teeth from harmful bacterial plaque which can lead to decay, gingivitis, and periodontitis we may end up losing one, a few, or maybe even all of our teeth. When that happens, it affects your speech, your diet, your overall health, and your self-esteem. Another option for missing teeth, besides dentures, partial dentures, or dental implants, are dental bridges.

The Dental Bridge

The most common type of dental bridge is the fixed bridge. A fixed bridge consists of a dental crown on each end and the replacement teeth (also called pontics) in between the two crowns. For this type of bridge, you need a healthy tooth on each side of the gap that was left by your missing tooth or teeth. These healthy teeth need to be prepared so that the dental crowns can be bonded onto them. To prepare the teeth, your dentist will grind away enough of the healthy tooth structure to accommodate the thickness of the crown, then the crowns are permanently bonded to the teeth providing a strong and stable prosthesis.

The Implant Bridge

We can also provide an implant bridge. Rather than be supported by natural teeth, the crowns on either end of the implant bridge are supported by dental implant posts which are surgically “implanted” into your jawbone and act like natural tooth roots. Implants provide the most stable, and long-lasting prosthesis available.

Learn More About Dental Bridges

If you’re missing one or a few teeth in a row and are interested in learning more about the types of dental bridges we offer, contact Dr. Huffstutler in Fort Worth, Texas, today to schedule an appointment, by calling 817-918-3038.