Everything You Should Know about Cantilever Dental Bridges
If you miss a tooth, you will qualify for a dental bridge. Dental bridges are artificial teeth or Pontic filling a gap left by the missing tooth gap.
Bridges are a solution if you miss more than one tooth. In fact, dental bridges are routinely recommended by dentists for someone missing two or more consecutive teeth.
Closing the gap between your teeth restores your ability to chew correctly, improves your bite, and prevents misalignment of your remaining teeth. If you visit the cosmetic dentist in Pittston requesting a substitute for your missing tooth or teeth, the dentist offers different dental bridges, including a cantilever bridge.
The artificial tooth is bonded in place with conventional bridges and held by dental crowns on both sides of the missing tooth gap. On the other hand, cantilever dental bridges have the missing tooth cemented on one side of the dental crown. The tooth beside the artificial tooth is called the abutment.
Traditional bridges are commonly used, but occasionally a cantilever bridge proves beneficial.
When Are Cantilever Bridges Helpful?
A cantilever bridge is an excellent option if you have one natural tooth beside the missing tooth gap or don’t have two abutment teeth to support a traditional bridge. Your dentist will fit a Pontic in the edentulous hole Anchoring it to the neighboring healthy tooth on one side. Cantilever bridges using an implant are also highly successful a five-year success rate of nearly 95 percent.
Benefits of Cantilever Bridges
The Pittston cosmetic dentist will discuss with you the benefits of choosing a cantilever dental bridge, mentioning:
- If you miss a tooth, a cantilever bridge is excellent to eliminate the gap along your gum line.
- Cantilever bridges are less expensive because they are fewer parts to work with.
- You don’t need two abutment teeth to install a cantilever bridge.
- In addition, the time required for the installation is shorter than for dental implants.
Downsides of Cantilever Bridges
Support from cantilever bridges is tricky. Therefore these bridges are best if you have one tooth missing. The location also matters because your back teeth must support the biting forces when chewing food. Research suggests cantilever bridges are best when used in the anterior region of your mouth instead of the back. However, it doesn’t mean the front of your mouth is always an excellent choice for a cantilever bridge.
Cantilever bridges are not optimal if you have malocclusion because the problem affects the feasibility of the restoration, making them prone to cavities under a dental bridge. Therefore, your dentist will check your teeth’ alignment because uneven pressure can damage the cantilever bridge and cause it to break or fail. In addition, over time, the risk of the bridge loosening exists because it merely receives support from one side.
The Cantilever Bridge Procedure
You will require two visits with the dental clinic near you to install a cantilever bridge similar to a traditional bridge. During your first meeting, the dentist will take impressions for the bridge and prepare the abutment tooth by removing enamel and dentin for dental crown placement.
After tooth preparation, the dentist will take impressions for the dental crown for customization from a dental laboratory. You will receive a temporary acrylic crown and bridge while the dental lab fabricates your permanent restoration.
During your second appointment, the dentist will remove the temporary placements and can check the permanent restoration for color and fit. If everything is acceptable, they will fit the new bridge with the permanent crown on your tooth and make adjustments if required. Finally, the cantilever dental bridge will be cemented in place by the dentist using special dental cement.
If you miss one or more teeth and are interested in closing the gap, discuss with your dentist the most suitable bridges for your situation. Of course, the health of the surrounding teeth is a factor to consider besides the location of the missing tooth. However, you can rely on your dentist to guide you toward optimal options. Depending on your unique situation, the dentist might offer you a cantilever bridge or another version of the bridge. However, you will succeed in closing the gap between your teeth, making you vulnerable to the consequences of tooth loss by bringing you several problems.
If you miss a tooth and consider closing the gap between your teeth, dentists will offer you a cantilever bridge after discussing its benefits and downsides. Polit & Costello Dentistry provides different versions of dental bridges to restore your smile and mouth functionality. Kindly arrange a meeting with them to discuss which option best suits your needs and receive a cantilever bridge if recommended by them in a couple of appointments.