What is Bridge Teeth?

Bridge tooth treatment is the process of placing other teeth on the bridge prosthesis by reducing the size of the tooth in order to close the gap due to tooth loss.

What is Bridge Teeth?

The bridge tooth is placed between the two teeth, which will be located on the right and left, in order to close the tooth gap that has developed due to the losses. In this process, the other two teeth are reduced and the old gap is closed with the bridge tooth. Tooth loss usually develops due to gingival diseases, gingival recession, untreated dental caries or trauma. Bridge tooth treatment is one of the traditional treatment methods used for tooth loss for a long time. Loss of teeth can lead to deterioration of the anatomy of the face and jaw over time and speech disorders, especially in cases where more than one tooth loss is experienced. For this reason, it is very important to fill the gaps due to tooth loss. If one of the teeth is missing in the mouth, over time, the other teeth may move towards the empty space and move to the right, left, down or up.

One of the important factors affecting people in tooth loss is the appearance of tooth cavities that occur when smiling. The treatment of tooth loss is important for health, as well as for the person to feel more comfortable and self-confident in his social life. Bridge tooth treatment also prevents situations such as difficulty in eating or speaking in tooth loss.

How Is Bridge Tooth Treatment Applied?

Bridge dental treatment is among the main methods that are frequently preferred for the completion of tooth deficiencies. Before the bridge tooth treatment, the patient is given a general examination by the dentist and the patient’s dental x-ray is taken. The dentist starts the bridge dental treatment by checking the jaw structure of the patient during the examination, determining the number of missing teeth and the locations of the gaps in the patient’s mouth.

In bridge dental treatment, the intact teeth located right next to the empty teeth (to the right and left) are rasped and reduced to serve as fixation. Then, the dentist takes the patient’s mouth and jaw measurements and ensures that the most suitable prosthesis is made for the patient. Bridge dental prosthesis is prepared according to the patient’s tooth structure and tooth color.

By placing the prepared prosthesis in the mouth, the dentist makes sure that the tooth is fully seated and does not disturb the patient. If there is a problem with the prepared bridge dental prosthesis or if it sinks into the patient’s gum or palate, the prosthesis is corrected to suit the patient’s mouth.

What Are the Types of Bridge Teeth?

In bridge dental treatment, the physician examines the patient’s mouth, teeth and jaw structure and selects the most suitable one among them. The preferred methods are listed below.

Traditional Bridge

Traditional bridge dental treatment; It is the use of a bridge foot to fix the healthy teeth on the right and left of the missing teeth by rasping and reducing them to the bridge. Then, the prepared bridge dental prosthesis is placed on these fixed teeth.

Maryland (Winged) Bridge

This type of bridge, known as Maryland or winged bridge, is made by gluing the bridge to neighboring teeth. The tooth prepared to fill the tooth cavity is adhered to the back of the adjacent teeth right next to the cavity. Maryland bridge dental prosthesis method is a procedure performed without cutting healthy teeth, but Maryland bridge applied by bonding method is less preferred than other types in terms of durability.

Implant Supported Bridge

Implant supported bridges are generally preferred in cases where there is more than one tooth loss. Implant-supported bridge is a method that is applied without the need to cut healthy teeth, as in the Maryland winged bridge type. This method is preferred in patients with suitable jaw bone structure. In case of multiple tooth loss, the missing teeth are filled with an implant bridge screwed to the jawbone.

Who Can Have Bridge Dental Treatment?

There are two different treatment methods for filling the tooth cavity: implant and bridge tooth. Bridge tooth treatment is evaluated both according to the patient’s preference and according to the suitability of the mouth and bone structure. Bridge teeth are generally recommended for patients whose oral structure is not suitable for implants. If the patient’s mouth and jaw bone structure or soft tissue structure is not suitable for implant use, bridge tooth treatment is recommended for these patients.

What Should Be Considered After the Dental Bridge Treatment?