People have lost teeth throughout history. When looking at portraits dating to the Middle Ages or the Renaissance, it’s very unusual to find someone openly smiling. A closed-mouth “Mona Lisa” smile is customary.
Until relatively recently, there was no good solution to the problem of lost teeth. The Etruscans, predecessors of the ancient Romans, attempted to make removable bridges to fill in gaps created by lost teeth more than 2,000 years ago. Other cultures also made attempts to solve the problem, but the technology and materials did not exist to make a sturdy, comfortable removable bridge.
Bridging the Gap
A removable bridge “bridges” the gap created by lost teeth. If someone has had their front teeth knocked out in an accident, for example, a bridge is one solution to the problem. False teeth are attached to the teeth on either side of the gap (abutment teeth) by an anchoring structure. Either natural teeth or implants can be used to support a dental bridge.
- Traditional
- Dental bridges in Shepherdsville KY
- attach to a crown or implant on each side of the missing tooth or teeth, with the replacement tooth/teeth in the middle. This is the most common type of bridge.
- Cantilever bridges are seldom used, but were designed for situations in which there was an abutment tooth on only one side of the gap.
- Resin-bonded or Maryland bonded bridges are made from porcelain or plastic teeth and gums fused to or supported by a metal framework. Metal “wings,” often on only one side of the bridge, bond to existing teeth.
Why is a Bridge Necessary?
There are several important reasons for using a removable bridge to fill the gap created by lost teeth.
- Get your smile back!
- There is another critical reason for using a bridge rather than “living with” the gap. The remaining teeth begin to shift and gradually rotate into the empty spaces, causing a bad bite to develop.
- Gum disease can develop when teeth are not firmly in position.
- TMJ (temporomandibular joint), a painful jaw disorder, can develop as a result of missing teeth and an uneven bite.
Hillview Family Dentistry provides high quality Dental Bridges in Shepherdsville KY. Of course, they also offer a wide variety of affordable dental services. Browse us to learn more about our services and contact us with any questions or to schedule an appointment.
