Updated June 15, 2025
Losing a tooth can make you feel like part of yourself is missing, and gaps in your smile can affect the way you speak, your ability to eat your favorite foods, and your self-confidence. But you don’t have to live with gaps in your smile.
At West Creek Dental, we understand how important it is to replace your missing teeth; that’s why Dr. Poonam Gokhale offers numerous tooth replacement options for you to choose from. He and his experienced team use the latest technology to create a customized dental bridge that suits your lifestyle and smile goals.
So, what are the four types of dental bridges? Keep reading to learn more.
What Is a Dental Bridge?
A dental bridge is a common dental restoration that replaces one or more missing teeth by filling in or “bridging the gap” in your smile. You can enjoy a restored bite, enhanced appearance, and improved oral health with a dental bridge.
Exploring the 4 Types of Dental Bridges
Our Austin dental office offers four types of dental bridges for you to choose from:
- Traditional dental bridge — Traditional bridges are perhaps the most commonly used. They consist of a pontic replacement tooth and two crowns that cover each remaining healthy tooth on either side of the gap. One of the main benefits of a traditional dental bridge is its strength, although it requires reshaping the healthy adjacent teeth to ensure a secure fit.
- Cantilever dental bridge — Cantilever bridges restore front teeth and are made of porcelain-fused-to-metal. A single crown anchors the pontic on an adjacent natural tooth. For example, if a patient has a healthy natural tooth, a gap, and a dental implant, the dentist may use a cantilever bridge to cover the healthy tooth and fill in the gap with a pontic.
- Maryland bonded bridge — Also called a resin-bonded dental bridge, Maryland bonded dental bridges replace front teeth. They use metal or porcelain frameworks with tiny “wings” that your dentist bonds to the back of your teeth on each side of the gap.
- Implant-supported bridge — Implant-supported bridges use an implant for each missing tooth, which your dentist surgically places into your jawbone. Pontics attached to the bridge are then placed over the implants to restore your smile.
What Are the Advantages of a Dental Bridge?
There are numerous advantages to replacing your teeth with a dental bridge, including the following:
- Restores your smile’s natural appearance
- Restores your ability to enunciate words and speak clearly, without a lisp or whistle
- Maintains your natural facial structure
- Prevents jawbone deterioration where the missing tooth or teeth
- Restores chewing ability and digestion
- Prevents neighboring teeth from shifting into the gap, which can lead to bite problems and dental damage
Want to Learn More About Bonded Dental Bridges in Austin, TX?
Everyone deserves to have a smile they love. If you have a missing tooth, please contact West Creek Dental today to learn more about our custom-made dental bridges in South Austin, TX.
You can reach us by calling (512) 394-7989.