Dentures are natural-looking replacement teeth made by your dentist that are removable. There are two types of dentures: full and partial. Full dentures are appropriate when all of the natural teeth are gone. Partial dentures attach to a metal frame that connects to your remaining natural teeth and fills in the spaces where permanent teeth once were.

A bridge can replace missing teeth, help maintain the shape of your face, and alleviate stress on your bite. A bridge looks great, and literally bridges the gap where one or more teeth may have been. Your bridge can be gold, alloy, porcelain, or a combination of these materials, and bonds onto surrounding teeth for support. Unlike dentures and partials, a bridge is not removable and can therefore enhance chewing.

The success of any bridge depends on its foundation — the other teeth, gums, or bone to which it is attached. Therefore, it is very important to keep your existing teeth, gums, and jaw healthy and strong.

Cleaning under a bridge is actually very easy. A floss threader feeds the floss under the bridge so that you can use the floss like normal to clean underneath it.