Dental Health and Food: Learning to Eat Better

Cosmetic Resin Bridges: A Great Choice For Replacing Missing Teeth

5 December 2014 by Eric Bailey

Dental implants are an excellent choice for many individuals with missing teeth. They are permanent, durable and best mimic your real teeth. However, dental implants are not always practical for every patient. As such, your dentist can provide you with a number of possible alternatives, such as fixed or removable dentures or teeth-supported bridges. However, an option that isn't often known about by patients is the composite resin bridge. This is a relatively young dental technology made possible by super-strong materials available to dentists. Here is what a composite resin bridge entails, why you might want to choose one, and what you need to do to keep it maintained:

What is a composite resin bridge?

A composite resin bridge consists of three components: the surrounding natural teeth, a resin framework and an artificial tooth. These three components are assembled by a dentist, and the end result is a realistic-appearing tooth that fills the gap in a smile. Here is how they are made:

1. After applying a local anesthetic, if necessary, the dentist cuts lateral grooves on the backside of the teeth that surround the gap left by the missing tooth.
2. Following the cuts, the dentist then attaches a piece of fiberglass tape between the two teeth; each end is glued into the grooves on the backside of the teeth using a special dental adhesive.
3. Once the glue is dry, the dentist coats all of the fiberglass as well as the backside of the surrounding teeth with a liquid composite resin. This resin is "cured" using the application of an ultraviolet light, and the fiberglass is now firmly attached to the teeth.
4. After the fiberglass support is in-place, the dentist molds a piece of solid composite resin into a tooth. This tooth is then attached to the fiberglass support with more liquid resin.
5. The dentist continues shaping the tooth using various tools and paints it to make it appear life-like. A final check is then performed, and the patient is ready to leave with their new bridge.

Why should you consider a composite resin bridge?

While you have lots of options to replace missing teeth, there are several considerations that may make a composite resin bridge your best choice:

• Cost - on average, composite resin bridges are the least expensive of tooth replacement strategies; in fact, they are about half the cost of conventional bridge placement.
• Age - composite resin bridges can be ideal for children who are not old enough to receive implants. In addition, very elderly individuals also are good candidates for composite resin bridges due to the low-stress nature of the procedure.
• Permanent - composite resin bridges are designed to be long-lived and are not removable. This eliminates concerns about losing removable dentures as well as possible breakage.
• Medical - some individuals are not good candidates for dental implants due to bone loss or other factors. The composite resin bridge uses a very non-invasive procedure that requires a minimal amount of manipulation of healthy teeth and tissues.

How do you maintain your composite resin bridge?

In general, maintenance of your composite resin bridge is no more difficult than brushing and flossing your teeth on a regular basis. However, there are few considerations to keep in mind:

• Give extra consideration to cleaning around and behind the bridge - since the bridge isn't removable, you will need to make sure that it is kept clean by careful brushing and flossing, particularly in the spaces between your natural teeth and the artificial tooth. The use of a dental irrigation device can be a great help in cleaning out the crevices.
• Promptly report any cracks or chips to your dentist - if you notice any cracking, chipping or other abnormalities in your composite resin bridge, you should immediately contact your dentist for assistance. Defects or breaks can be repaired if caught in time, and this can eliminate costly rebuilding or replacement of the bridge.
• Be careful about hard foods - while composite resin bridges are highly durable, you should talk to your dentist about foods that are to be avoided. Even natural teeth can break, and you don't want to eat something that will cause needless wear-and-tear to your bridge.

You can contact a local dentist for more information about resin bridges, dental implants, and other teeth replacement methods.

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