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Why A Bridge?

Dental bridges have become very popular nowadays as a method of functional as well as cosmetic method for restoring lost teeth. Basically, it is the method of providing dental implants in the areas where the teeth are missing. Dentists usually recommend this procedure to their patients. However, people still do not know quite well why a bridge would be needed to restore their teeth. Some awareness about this procedure is definitely in order.

First of all, it is important to know what a bridge does. A dental bridge is meant to cover a toothless area in the dental structure by filling it with a false tooth. This false tooth can be functionally and esthetically similar to the original tooth. The dental bridge is fitted by communicating with one or both of the adjacent healthy teeth. The bridge typically consists of a crown or two (depending on how many adjacent teeth it will communicate with) and a false tooth that will fit over the edentulous area. Dental bridges can also be made to fit over more than one missing middle teeth.

Now, it is easier to understand why a bridge is needed. A bridge is a replacement for a lost tooth. There are many types of bridges available today, and a person can choose an implant that looks remarkably similar to the tooth that was lost. There are gold as well as porcelain dental implants available. People prefer to use porcelain implants because they can be given different bridge colors and made to look congruous with the other teeth. In order to add to the strength of porcelain as a bridge material, it can be impregnated with metal alloys.

There are also various other reasons. If an edentulous area is kept open, the nerve endings might be exposed. These are highly sensitive areas and whenever they feel a difference in temperature or are touched, they could cause a great deal of pain and discomfort. For a person who keeps an edentulous area open, consuming any food or drink can become a very difficult proposition. Not just that, there is always the risk of food particles accumulating in the small interspaces between this region and the underside of the other healthy teeth , which might cause problems such as infections and inflammations. Hence, it is prudent to cover up the toothless area as soon as possible.

Speech becomes impaired in people who lose front teeth . The open area can cause slurring, even making their words difficult for others to understand. However, using proper dental bridges, normal speech can be restored. This is another reason why a bridge is a good idea, but it is not often mentioned.

A dental bridge is required for continuing to lead a normal healthy life. A person with a bridge will be able to bite, chew and eat food in any other manner without defect. There would be no pain and discomfort because of the toothless area. Their speech would remain intact. Moreover, these bridges can help in maintaining their appearance so that the cheeks do not look sunken as they tend to do in a person’s later years.