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Common Dental Procedures - Bridges

The world of dentistry consists of many different types of procedures that are performed in order to keep your teeth healthy and your appearance glowing. In this article, we'll give you some basic information about one of the most commonly performed dental procedures in order to increase your knowledge.

One type of dental procedure that many people choose to undergo is known as a bridge. A bridge is a type of appliance that is employed when an individual is missing a tooth, and it works to help restore the appearance of their mouth by cementing appliances to the mouth. The bridge consists of a type of fake tooth that is placed within the hole that the missing tooth has created. It is known as a ‘pontic tooth' in the world of dentistry and two ‘crowns' work to hold the pontic tooth in place. The crowns work to cap off the tooth, giving it a realistic appearance and anchoring it to the two teeth that are the closest to the pontic tooth. There are several different types of bridges that are often used in the world of dentistry, and the main ones include the traditional bridge, the resin-bonded bridge, and the cantilever bridge.

The traditional bridge is basically what was described earlier in the article, with a pontic tooth and two crowns surmising the bridge. The resin-bonded bridge uses metal bands and a type of resin bonding agent in order to help to cement the pontic tooth into place properly. Since the metal could be easily seen if it a resin-bonded bridge was performed in the back of the mouth, resin-bonded bridges are most often used for teeth that are missing in the front of the mouth. The cantilever bridge is a special type of bridge that is used only when there is one tooth located next to the tooth that is missing.

Since the mouth is an area of the body that receives a large amount of action, it is tough to build dental prosthetics that can hold up to the test of time. That being known, most bridges can provide relief to those who are missing teeth for a period of between eight and ten years before they need to be replaced. When you have a bridge performed, you need to ensure that you brush the area of the bridge with care using a fluoride-based toothpaste. If particles of food and bacteria get caught underneath the bridge, they can be a devil to get out and you may get an infection if you are not careful. To that end, be sure to take as many preventative measures as you can when it comes to your dental health if you are having a bridge installed. Floss the area around the bridge gently in order to free up any types of food particles that may be lodged in. You should also be sure to avoid chewing hard foods and sticky foods when you have a bridge, as they can damage the appliance and result in a serious headache for both you and your dentist.