Dental bridges are a restorative dental treatment that dramatically improves a smile’s function and aesthetics. If you are missing multiple consecutive teeth, you are at risk for jawbone atrophy, tooth decay, and gum disease. Dental bridges can significantly lower your risk of these oral health issues while restoring your ability to chew, speak, and laugh comfortably.
At Dental Care of Lombard, Dr. Julie Glud provides and creates dental bridges for eligible patients who desire a more functional, beautiful smile. With her extensive training in restorative and cosmetic dentistry, there’s no other dentist in Lombard, IL to repair your teeth than Dr. Glud. Two of the most common dental bridges are the traditional dental bridge and Maryland bridge. Continue reading to learn about the differences between the two restorative options.
Traditional Dental Bridge
Traditional dental bridges are the most common type of dental bridge. This option requires the patient to have a healthy supporting tooth on either side of the gap in their smile.
A small amount of enamel on the adjacent teeth will need to be removed in order to prepare the teeth to receive crowns. Some patients may vie for other treatment options because they don’t want to alter their natural, healthy teeth. However, dental crowns serve an important function by being the pillars that support your new false tooth, which is also called a pontic. Once the enamel is removed, Dr. Glud will take impressions of your teeth that will aid in the creation of your custom bridge.
This type of bridge works well when replacing front teeth as well as the back molars because the prothtic can withstand the force exerted on the back teeth.
Maryland Bridge
Popularized by the University of Maryland, the Maryland bridge is used for patients who need one or more front teeth replaced. Maryland bridges are much more uncommon than the traditional dental bridge and are only available to individuals who have strong neighboring teeth and excellent oral hygiene.
These bridges are made from porcelain and metal pontics with two wings on either side. The wings attach to the back of the supporting teeth with a strong dental adhesive that holds the false tooth.
Maryland bridges do not offer patients with missing teeth the type of support they need. For this reason and several others, many dentist like Dr. Glud do not offer this dental bridge option.
Other Dental Bridge Options
Along with the two options mentioned above, Dr. Glud also offers cantilever dental bridges and implant-supported dental bridges.
Cantilever Dental Bridge
This option only requires one tooth to be prepared for a dental crown. You may need a cantilever dental bridge under these conditions:
- Your missing tooth only has one neighboring tooth.
- Two crowns would be aesthetically displeasing.
- An adjacent tooth already supports another pontic.
Implant-Supported Dental Bridge
As an alternative, a dental implant can be surgically placed in the jawbone to hold a false tooth in position. Two dental visits are required for this popular treatment option.
During your first visit, the implant will be surgically placed in the jawbone, and once the implant site has healed, the bridge will be positioned at a later appointment.
An implant-supported dental bridge offers superior support for your jawbone and surrounding teeth compared to other restorative alternatives.
Contact Your Lombard Dentist Today
Choosing the right dental bridge is easy when you have the help of a trained team and experienced dentist. Schedule an appointment with Dr. Glud today to discuss your dental bridge options at 630-629-5700.
