Our teeth are not only for eating and drinking but are also a major component of facial aesthetics. Any missing teeth can result in compromised facial aesthetics.
If only one or two teeth are missing, your dentist will suggest a bridge or dental implant. You are going for a bridge, but you also want to replace all your missing teeth with one bridge, and you are not sure how many teeth can be on a bridge.
If this question is in your mind, we will discuss the types of bridges and how many teeth each bridge can bear.
How Many Teeth Can Be On A Bridge?
This question has multiple answers and depends on the bridge’s location, the type of bridge, and the surrounding teeth’ condition. Many people still don’t know anything about bridges, especially the type of bridges, and some people are also unaware of what a bridge is in dentistry.
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So if you don’t know about bridges and are wondering if it is a good option for you, then here I am going to provide you with detailed information about the bridge and how many teeth each Bridge can bear.
What Is A Bridge?
Dental bridges, as the name indicate, are meant to fill the gap created by missing teeth. Mostly Bridge is made up of two or more crowns or sometimes of one crown, depending on the type and is supported by the surrounding teeth called abutment teeth.
In between the abutment teeth, there are false teeth or pontics, which can be made from different materials, including gold alloys, porcelain or a combination of these materials, depending on your budget and oral condition.
Maximum Number Of Teeth A Bridge Can Hold
This depends on different factors, including the health of surrounding teeth, the material used for making the bridge, the location, and oral health. However, the minimum number of teeth a bridge can hold is one. The maximum is 4. In some cases, it can hold more than four, but it is very rare. If you’re curious about how often should you use the snow whitening kit, you can read our guide.
The more artificial teeth supported by one bridge, the greater the risk of bridge breakage or bending. It is always advised to keep the number minimum to prevent any injury.
How Many Teeth can a Conventional Bridge hold?
Conventional bridges, also known as traditional bridges made up of metal, are mostly used in posterior teeth.
For using this Bridge, surrounding teeth must be in good health and parallel to each other. This bridge can hold four teeth easily.
How Many Teeth Can the Cantilever Bridge hold?
A cantilever bridge is used only when one healthy tooth supports the artificial teeth.
This Bridge is not strong and can’t be used in places with higher masticatory forces. Cantilever bridges are mostly used in anterior teeth as there is very little masticatory pressure in front of the mouth. On the other hand, it can’t be used on the back teeth because of higher chewing forces.
This bridge requires healthy gum tissue and good occlusion and can only support one artificial tooth.
How Many Teeth Can Maryland Bridge Hold?
Maryland dental Bridge is a permanent dental bridge that can replace one missing tooth, and its name originated from the University of Maryland.
Its construction is almost similar to a typical dental Bridge. In it, the dentist will attach the prosthetic tooth replacement on both sides of the gap to keep this permanent Bridge in place.
The only difference between traditional and Maryland dental bridges is that the Maryland dental bridges are bonded differently from teeth, and they don’t require any enamel removal or damage to natural tooth anatomy.
An artificial tooth is attached to two wings, and the wings are sealed with the help of cement teeth. These are used for anterior restorations with low masticatory forces.
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How Many Teeth Can Implant-supported Bridges Hold?
It is also a type of permanent dental Restoration and a replacement for several teeth. The number of implants used for a bridge depends upon the number of missing teeth and the patient’s oral health, but most commonly, one implant can support three teeth.
One is the implant in the center, and the other two crowns are on the sides of each implant.
This is the most stable type of dental bridge and can prevent bone loss when the teeth are missing or removed.
When you lose a tooth, the bone in the jaw doesn’t feel the pressure, and the other teeth drift mesially to cover the space. As a result, your jaw will start shrinking.
With the help of an implant-supported Bridge, your jaw feels the same pressure, and there is no more risk of bone loss. Moreover, if you’re thinking to get mouthwash you can read High Voltage Detox Mouthwash reviews.
How To Choose A Bridge For Yourself?
In most cases, the dentist will tell you all the treatment options for the missing teeth. If you have more than one missing tooth in the posterior teeth, you may want to go for a Dental Bridge instead of dental implants because they are expensive options.
Depending on the oral health and the number of missing teeth, you can choose the type of bridge. Mostly traditional and implant-supported bridges are used for posterior teeth, while Maryland and Cantilever bridges are used for anterior teeth.
Also, bridges for anterior teeth can only hold a maximum of one or two teeth, while for posterior teeth, bridges can easily hold 3 to 4 teeth.
If you are using stronger materials like metal, then the number of teeth can be increased.
If one or more decayed teeth are extracted because of bridge placement, and you miss the doctor’s guidelines for taking care of extracted teeth, then take a look at What To Do After Tooth Extraction – Pain Or Gain.
FAQs
What are other restorative Options?
If you have one or two teeth missing, you can also go for dental implants instead of dental bridges because they are considered a better option. On the other hand, if more than 4 to 5 teeth are missing, then you can also choose between the removable partial denture or permanent partial denture.
What is the average lifespan of a dental bridge?
Dental bridges can last between 5 to 7 years if you take appropriate care of them, and if they are made of metal, they can last for ten years.
Conclusion
Nowadays, people prefer to go for bridges instead of implants because of their low cost, but they don’t know the number of teeth a bridge can hold. So for such people, here I have discussed how many teeth can be on a bridge depending on its type and the material used.
Just be sure to read this article thoroughly, as it will help you choose the right type of bridge.
