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What Is the Difference in a Dental Bridge and a Partial?

Missing teeth are a threat to maintaining good oral health. Filling the gap is essential for comfortable eating, an attractive smile, establishing a good relationship between the upper and lower jaws, preventing premature aging lines around the mouth and, in some cases, facilitating clear speech. Two solutions for restoring missing teeth are a dental bridge and a partial denture.

  1. Dental Bridges

    • A fixed dental bridge is not removable. It is a structure designed to span the gap between teeth supported by teeth on either side of the open space. A permanent bridge is cemented into place, although it may eventually need to be replaced. Bridges are composed of precious or nonprecious metal to which tooth-colored porcelain is fused. Some bridges are made entirely of porcelain. The teeth on each side of the space are filed down to receive crowns, and the replacement crowns are attached to the artificial tooth or teeth to form a bridge.

    Partial Dentures

    • A removable partial denture is an appliance to replace one or more missing teeth. It attaches to the natural teeth on either side of the gap with clasps and may be removed by the wearer. General dentists or specialists called "prosthodontists" fabricate partials. Partial dentures have the same benefits as a bridge; however, there is an increased risk of plaque accumulation if the denture is not carefully designed. Food becoming lodged around or under the denture is another potential problem. Acrylic or metal forms the base of the denture. The gum areas are made from acrylic, and the artificial teeth may be acrylic or porcelain.

    Cost

    • Bridges are more expensive to fabricate and install than partials, but they last for a much longer time and are difficult to distinguish from natural teeth. Partials are less expensive, they may need replacement sooner and the clasps may be visible. An attachment system uses "keys" on the denture to fit into holes on the adjacent natural teeth. It fits tighter, with no telltale clasps.

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