Do you need a dental bridge?

If you have one or two teeth missing, one of your choices for a tooth replacement is a dental bridge.

A dental bridge consists of two crowns on the teeth adjacent to the missing tooth, as shown in the diagram on the left.

When you have a missing tooth and you do nothing, the teeth on either side will begin to drift into the space, and the opposing tooth will supererupt, causing a disruption of your bite. This causes an uncomfortable bite and can lead to TMJ problems, and possibly to the loss of other teeth.

A dental bridge or an implant?

A missing tooth can also be replaced with a dental implant. The advantages of an implant are:

• The healthy teeth on either side do not have to be ground down for crowns.
• It is easier to clean. You can brush and floss normally. With a bridge, you can't get floss between the teeth unless you use a floss threader.
• With a bridge, if you have decay on one of the abutment teeth or any other trouble with any one of the involved teeth, the entire restoration needs to be replaced. With an implant, all the teeth are separate and are treated and maintained separately. A problem with one will not affect the others.