Dental bridges are an option to replace a missing tooth. It is also known as a pontic, an artificial tooth that is fused between two porcelain crowns and attached onto adjacent teeth.
Types of dental bridges
Traditional fixed bridges
Fixed bridges consist of crowns (types of material used depend on individuals’ needs) that are fused and clung to the adjacent teeth on both sides of the open space. This is the most common type of dental bridges used in dentistry.
Cantilever bridges
Cantilever bridges are used when there are teeth on only one side of the empty space to attach dental bridges.
Maryland bridges
Maryland bridges or resin-bond bridges consist of a metal framework and metal wings which are bonded to the back of adjacent teeth.
Types of materials used for dental bridges
- Porcelain-fused-to-metal dental bridge (PFM)
- All-porcelain dental bridge
- All-metal dental bridge (gold dental bridge)
PFM and all porcelain bridges are in natural tooth colours. PFM bridge is usually recommended to replace molars where chewing and grinding take place, meanwhile all-porcelain Bridge is used to restore front teeth where aesthetic and natural look are important. Gold or all-metal bridge is considered the most durable because it rarely chips.