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Types of Dental Bridges Available to Patients in Great Neck, New York

Dental bridges function to close gaps in the smile of patients with missing teeth. They consist of a false tooth, sometimes called a pontic, held in place by teeth on both sides of the gap anchored with dental crowns, referred to as abutment teeth. These false teeth, which can be crafted from numerous materials -- including gold, are most often made of porcelain to blend in with a patient’s natural teeth.

Why Might I Need a Dental Bridge?

Having one or more missing teeth can significantly affect one’s life in a whole host of ways. Dental bridges serve to address those challenges by restoring one’s smile, one’s ability to chew correctly, or even one’s speech and pronunciation. Moreover, a dental bridge can be an effective method of adjusting one’s bite or keeping the remainder of a patient’s teeth in their correct position. Dental bridges can also help patients to maintain their face shape.

What are the Four Main Types of Dental Bridges?

Four main types of dental bridges are available to patients suffering from missing teeth: traditional, Maryland, cantilever, and implant-supported.

Traditional Dental Bridge

As the most popular variation of dental bridge, “a traditional dental bridge consists of a false tooth or teeth being held in place by dental crowns that have been cemented onto each of the abutment teeth.” When a patient’s natural teeth on either side of the gap created by the missing tooth remain intact, a traditional dental bridge can be used.

Maryland Dental Bridge

Maryland dental bridges utilize two natural abutment teeth for support on both sides of the gap, much like a traditional dental bridge. Like a conventional dental bridge, a Maryland dental bridge requires that natural teeth be present on either side of the gap left behind by the missing tooth.

Nonetheless, unlike a traditional dental bridge, which places dental crowns on abutment teeth, a Maryland dental bridge bonds either a metal or porcelain framework to the backs of abutment teeth for support.

Cantilever Dental Bridge

A cantilever dental bridge is quite similar to a traditional dental bridge. However, in a cantilever bridge, the pontic is kept in place by a dental crown cemented to just one abutment tooth. So, patients must only have one natural tooth beside a missing tooth gap for a cantilever dental bridge to be used.

Implant-Supported Dental Bridge

An implant-supported dental bridge utilizes dental implants rather than crowns or frameworks, taking up to several months to complete. One implant is usually surgically embedded for each missing tooth, serving to hold the bridge in its place. However, if it isn’t possible to place one implant for each tooth that’s missing, a pontic may need to be suspended between two implant-supported crowns.

Implant-supported dental bridges are widely regarded as the strongest and most solid dental bridge system. And as such, implant-supported dental bridges often necessitate two separate surgeries: one in which the implants are embedded into the jawbone and one in which the bridge is placed.

Restore Your Smile with Dr. Julie Liberman DDS

Dr. Julie Liberman DDS of Great Neck Dental Care NY is thrilled to offer several types of dental bridges to patients in the Great Neck area, spanning New Hyde Park, Floral Park, Douglaston, Jericho, Roslyn, etc. If you are missing one or more teeth, there are numerous options at your disposal for tooth replacement. Contact us today to discuss the benefits, costs, and other elements associated with dental bridges.