Many people are familiar with the term ‘bridge’ and the term ‘crown’ when it comes to dentistry.
But, with the invention of cosmetic options like the dental implant, fewer people are approaching their dental team to have a traditional bridge fitted. Or, with the invention of the implant-supported bridge, many patients are seeking this treatment, as a way of combining the two treatments.
However, there are many instances in which dental implants may not be suitable and so, it may be recommended that you have a bridge fitted instead. If you have a jawbone which is damaged or thin, or you have a history of issues such as recurring gum disease, it may be unwise to have an implant fitted. This is where the dental bridge comes in.
At Wimbledon Dental Care, our team sees many patients who have gaps in their teeth who are not suitable for dental implants. And so, we are proud to be able to offer them crowns and bridges in Wimbledon, as a more permanent way to conceal that gap. A more sturdy alternative to dentures, these prosthetics require no glue to hold them in place, and can be fitted easily by our team!
But did you know that there are different types of bridges? Here are 4 of the most common types of crowns and bridges in Wimbledon that our team can offer.
Traditional
Undoubtedly the most common bridge type, the traditional option involves a false tooth (or teeth) being held in place by dental crowns, which are cemented on to the surrounding natural teeth.
As you may have guessed, this option is only suitable for people who have natural teeth surrounding their gap and, as it is fitted or held in place by the crowns, you also need to have healthy teeth to support them.
Cantilever
If you do not have the required number of teeth to support traditional crowns and bridges in Wimbledon, then our team is likely to suggest a cantilever bridge.
Although this bridge is similar to the traditional one (as it is a false tooth or teeth held in place by a crown), it requires only 1 natural tooth to attach the crown to.
Maryland dental bridge
As mentioned before, a traditional bridge requires 2 teeth surrounding the gap to affix the supporting crown to.
With a Maryland dental bridge, our team will use either a metal or porcelain framework to affix the false teeth to the back of the surrounding teeth, with a bond holding the prosthetics in place. Like the traditional bridge, this is only suitable if you have 2 surrounding natural teeth.
Implant-supported bridge
Briefly mentioned in the introduction, an implant-supported bridge uses the strategic placing of dental implants instead of crowns and frames.
While this newer bridge fitting will require a more lengthy process to attach the implants to your jaw and then to place the bridge on the implants, it is considered the most stable of all the bridges and is therefore very popular.