12 March 2012What Does Pontic Mean?
In the world of dentistry, pontic refers to the option of replacing missing teeth by providing a solution that prevents further damage or dental problems. While there are a number of options available for patients, dentures and fixed bridges are two treatment options that are most commonly used.
So, what are dentures?
Dentures are an extremely common type among the other pontic options that are available out there. This works great for replacing injured teeth or teeth affected by a dental disease.
After the removal of teeth and complete healing of gums, the patient’s jaw is measured and a model is created for the denture pontic.
The option of a fixed bridge
While dentures come as removable pontics, fixed bridges can’t be removed from the mouth. These pontics are referred to as bridges in the dental world because they work by bridging the space present between teeth that typically results from missing some teeth. Since metal bands are used for attaching the replacement teeth, bridges remain fixed with the metal bands being cemented to the supporting teeth nearby. Some bridges are specifically meant for replacing the front teeth, while other bridges are used if the only option is attaching the replacement teeth to anchor teeth on either of the missing teeth’s sides.