A dental bridge is an appliance
used to replace one or more missing teeth. These appliances
are cemented into place and cannot be removed by the
patient.
As the name of this appliance implies, the bridge is
made out of three pieces that fit into the open space
in the mouth, "bridging" the gap. Most bridges are made
of a pontic tooth (or false tooth), held together by
two crowns (a "cap" that covers the tooth, approximating
its normal size and shape). This trio is then attached
(cemented) to the abutment teeth (the surrounding teeth
of each side of the gap).
Nearly everyone who has one or more missing teeth is
a candidate for a dental bridge. However, the difference
between proper and improper oral hygiene is, generally,
what determines the success of the dental bridge. |