When Is a Cantilever Bridge a Good Option?
By Nina Kiani | Published on January 13, 2011 | 0 Comments
When it comes to restorative dentistry, there are dozens of ways that a cosmetic dentist can replace a missing tooth. According to Dr. Nina Kiani DDS PC, a cosmetic dentist in Midtown West, a cantilever bridge is one of many devices that a dentist may use to replace one or more missing teeth.
Thanks to the technological advancements within the field of cosmetic dentistry, dentists have countless ways to replace missing teeth in otherwise healthy patients. Despite this, the two most popular ways to replace missing teeth are implants and bridges. The term “bridge” can mean many different things, though. When a traditional dental bridge is not an option – and a dental implant has already been ruled out – then a cantilever bridge is usually seen as the next best thing.
According to Dr. Kiani, a cantilever bridge is a type of dental structure that needs only one abutting tooth to be held in place. This separates it from a traditional bridge, which requires that a patient have two abutting teeth on either side of the missing tooth in order for the device to work.
Dr. Kiani says that a traditional bridge is almost always seen as preferable to a cantilever bridge. Unfortunately, there are times when a patient simply does not have enough teeth to support a traditional bridge. In times like these, patients and dentists alike are lucky that the cantilever bridge exists as an option.
Before a dentist can put in a bridge, he or she needs to prepare or “drill down” any teeth that are abutting the area where the missing tooth once stood. These abutting teeth then become anchors for the missing middle tooth. Although cantilever bridges are most often used when one of these abutting teeth is missing altogether, they can also be an option when one of the abutting teeth is not strong enough to support a bridge.
While it may look like a certain tooth is strong enough to support a bridge, Dr. Kiani sometimes finds during the drilling and preparation process that the tooth is not, in fact, strong enough to play this role. If a problem like this is found, then a cosmetic dentist will likely abandon the original plan to install a traditional bridge in favor of a cantilever.
Dr. Kiani does say, however, that there are times when a cantilever bridge is not an option either. Cantilever bridges are not ideal on molars, for example. Dr. Kiani says that whether or not a cantilever bridge will work for a particular patient depends largely on the person’s bite and the surface area of the missing tooth.
Cantilever bridges tend to put more stress and pressure on one single supporting tooth than traditional bridges – since a traditional bridge would be placed on two abutting teeth. Thus, a dentist needs to be absolutely certain that the tooth that the cantilever bridge is being placed on is strong enough to sustain that type of force before putting the bridge on to begin with.
*Disclaimer: The information on this website is not intended to substitute for the medical expertise and advice of your healthcare provider. We encourage you to discuss any decisions about treatment or care with an appropriate healthcare provider.