From the ironic revival of classic rock, to retro Polaroid Smartphone filters and bomber jackets, it seems that nostalgia has been a guiding influence on popular trends of late. One area, however, where nostalgia should be left at the door, is dentistry. For centuries, the only option for replacing missing teeth were dentures, dentures made either from wood or, if we go back far enough, animal bone. Thankfully, in the modern world, we don’t have to worry about splinters or animal rights to quite the same extent when it comes to tooth replacements. In fact, we don’t even have to use dentures! Let us introduce you to ‘the fixed bridge’!

What is a dental Bridge?

Much as a bridge spans a gap in land, so a dental bridge spans the gap in your teeth. The bridge then supports a fake tooth.

Why should I replace a tooth?

Appearance is one reason, but not replacing a tooth can also increase the risk of gum disease, alter the structure of your face and affect the way you speak and eat.

The advantages of a bridge

Well, they certainly avoid the problems with eating, speaking and continuing slippage which are attributed to dentures. Bridges look natural, can last (with care) for well over a decade and can combat the problems most commonly associated with a missing tooth.

Bridge variants

As with transport bridges, there are several types; the traditional fixed bridge is the most common type as it is the most versatile. It is anchored via crowns on the two surrounding, healthy teeth and will require the surrounding teeth to be shaved slightly. The Cantilever bridge operates like a fixed bridge, except it is only anchored to one tooth. This has less of an impact on healthy teeth, but also allows a bridge to be fitted if you only have healthy tooth nearby. Being attached only to one side, however, limits the bridge’s use to areas of the mouth which are under less stress. The Maryland Bridge uses metal bands, rather than crowns, and so has no negative impact on surrounding teeth. This does, however, limit its use mostly to the front teeth and other low stress areas. For more information on bridge options, please contact the team at Liverpool Dental Spa in the city of Liverpool.