Dental Bridges
in Indiana, PA
Trust David L. Crawford, DMD, to Fill the Gap and Bring Your Smile Back
Choose David L. Crawford, DMD, as your provider for dental bridges in Indiana, PA. If you have missing teeth, Dr. Crawford can close — or bridge — the gaps in your smile with dental bridges. According to The American Dental Association, the average adult has three or more decayed or missing teeth. Finding the right replacement is the key to a confident smile.
One of the most popular options to cover missing teeth are dental bridges. Call David L. Crawford, DMD’s office at (724) 463-3368 today to schedule a consultation for a dental bridge in Indiana, PA.
Why Do I Need a Dental Bridge?
When you have a missing tooth or missing teeth, it can affect you in a number of ways. A dental bridge can address those changes, including:
- Restoring Your Smile
- Restoring the Ability to Properly Chew
- Restoring Your Speech and Pronunciation
- Maintaining the Shape of Your Face
- Re-Adjusting Your Bite to Properly Distribute the Force When You Chew
- Preventing Your Remaining Teeth From Moving Out of the Correct Position
Discuss What Type of Dental Bridge is Best for You in Our Indiana Office
A dental bridge is a false tooth held in place by the abutment teeth on either side of the gap. Although bridges can be a variety of materials such as gold, typically they are porcelain to aesthetically blend in with your natural teeth. There are four main types of dental bridges:
Traditional Dental Bridges
Traditional bridges are the most popular types of dental bridges. Doctors use this type of bridge when your natural teeth surround a missing tooth or gap on both sides. These bridges consist of one or more pontic teeth held in place by two abutment teeth. “Abutment teeth” are natural teeth given dental crowns to support the fake teeth, or “pontic teeth,” between them. Traditional bridges, usually made of ceramic or porcelain fused to metal, are strong enough to replace molars.
Cantilever Dental Bridges
Similar to traditional bridges, cantilever bridges attach to an abutment tooth, but just on one side. When natural teeth are only present on one side of a gap, cantilever bridges allow a bridge to stay in place.
Maryland Dental Bridges
Maryland bridges, or resin-bonded bridges, are often recommended for replacing teeth at the front of the mouth. These bridges use metal or porcelain bands to bind a pontic tooth to the backs of adjacent natural teeth. Considered a more conservative alternative to traditional bridges, Maryland bridges do not require adjacent teeth to have dental crowns.
Implant-Supported Dental Bridges
Implant-supported bridges are similar to regular dental bridges, but instead of natural teeth supporting the bridge, doctors use dental implants. These bridges help when you have more than one missing tooth or when there is a higher chance you could put too much pressure on individual implants that are not connected.
Contact David L. Crawford, DMD about replacing your missing teeth with a dental bridge in Indiana, PA.
