Porcelain Bridges

Whenever you drive across a bridge, you're being supported by the same principles that support a dental bridge. Crowned teeth on either side of a space are called abutments. They support an artificial tooth, called a pontic. While a bridge lasts for many years, sometimes the strain of supporting one or more missing teeth can cause the abutments themselves to weaken and may lead to more missing teeth.

Cantilever Bridges for Anterior Teeth

When a front tooth is missing there are times a cantilever bridge may be an option. A cantilever bridge is only supported by one neighboring tooth allowing you to replace the missing tooth, and improve the appearance while minimizing the impact to neighboring teeth. Because this type of bridge has less support than a traditional bridge, this option is often limited to areas that are subject to lower biting forces. Drs. Huston, Miller, and Blough will help you determine if this option is appropriate for you.

A Better Bridge

In many cases, dental implants offer a better alternative, eliminating most of the load-bearing strain you see in traditional bridge abutments. When carefully placed in the bone, an implant mimics the root of a tooth. They bear the load that the natural teeth used to hold, sparing the neighboring teeth from excessive forces. In some cases, two implants may be used to build a bridge.

Drs. Huston, Miller, and Blough know how to bring the puzzle pieces together to fit any scenario regardless of the scope of your treatment.