It should come as a surprise to no one that dentists play a very important part in many people’s lives. Without helping a patient with their mouth and teeth issues, a person can have significantly less quality of life that can be painful or embarrassing to deal with.

Dental professionals help with a lot of different issues, and they are able to correct them with different types of dental work. For example, one common type of dental work that is beneficial to some is known as a dental bridge. Timber Pines residents should know that these often get confused with dentures, but they are different and require different circumstances for them to be applicable.

This leads some people to question how does a dental professional know when a patient is a good candidate to have a dental bridge installed? Not everyone is eligible to have a dental bridge, and it requires certain circumstances in order to be an option for those in need.

When are Dental Bridges Recommended?

Dental bridges are very similar to that of dental crowns or dentures in the sense that they help someone who has broken or missing teeth gain back some functionality to their mouth. The only caveat with dental bridges is that they are only placed in someone’s mouth in specific circumstances.

For starters, dental bridges are only applicable to patients who have a few missing teeth, and they are next to one another, with real teeth as well. With dental bridges, Timber Pines residents should know that there can be as few as two teeth missing, but it is not uncommon for dental bridges to be made to correct four or five missing teeth.

Any more missing teeth than that and a dental professional might caution against using a dental bridge to correct the issue, and instead recommend that patients go through with a denture procedure.

When Will Someone Not Be Able to Get Dental Bridges?

As stated above, not everyone who has broken or missing teeth will be a good candidate to get a dental bridge. Timber Pines residents should know that having one missing tooth is not a reason to get a dental bridge, as this is something that can be corrected by a dental implant and be less invasive.

Another thing to consider is which teeth a person is missing may determine what the best course of action would be by a dental professional. For example, if someone is missing more than one of their front teeth, a dental bridge may not be the best solution. Dental bridges are more common for missing teeth in the back or side of the mouth. 

*Disclaimer: The views expressed here are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of Anchor Dental Care*