When replacing missing teeth, many people confuse dental bridges with dentures. Although both restore lost teeth, they are distinct categories of dental restorations. Understanding the differences is important for making informed choices about oral health. The primary distinctions involve how each appliance is supported and whether the patient can remove it. This difference in design directly impacts function, stability, and long-term care.
Fixed Dental Bridges: Structure and Placement
A fixed dental bridge is a permanent restoration designed to span the gap created by one or a few missing teeth. It is composed of at least three units: two anchoring crowns and one or more pontics (artificial replacement teeth). The crowns are cemented onto the adjacent natural teeth or dental implants, known as abutment teeth. These abutment teeth must be strong enough to bear the additional chewing forces from the bridge structure.
The dentist must first reshape the abutment teeth to create space for the crowns, ensuring the restoration fits seamlessly and aligns correctly with the bite. The bridge is permanently bonded using strong dental cement, so the patient cannot remove it. Bridges are commonly constructed from durable materials such as porcelain fused to metal alloys or ceramic. The permanence of this fixture provides excellent stability and restores a high percentage of the original chewing function.
Removable Dentures: Support and Scope
A denture is an appliance that can replace a larger number of missing teeth, ranging from a partial denture to an entire arch in a complete denture. These devices are characterized by their removability, as the patient must take them out for regular cleaning and maintenance. Unlike a bridge, conventional dentures rely primarily on the underlying gum tissue and residual bone structure for support.
Partial dentures often use metal or acrylic clasps that hook around remaining natural teeth for retention and to prevent movement. Complete dentures, which replace all teeth, rely on a close fit and suction against the soft tissues of the palate and gums. This tissue-supported design results in significantly lower chewing efficiency, providing only about 20% to 30% of the force achieved with natural teeth. The pressure exerted by the denture base onto the gum and bone can contribute to the gradual resorption, or shrinkage, of the underlying jawbone over time.
The Fundamental Difference: Fixed vs. Removable
The core distinction between a bridge and a denture lies in their anchorage and permanence, classifying them as fixed versus removable prostheses. A dental bridge is a fixed prosthesis rigidly supported by the teeth or implants, distributing the biting force through the natural tooth roots or implant posts. This tooth-supported design offers superior stability and closely mimics natural teeth, as it does not move during speaking or eating.
A denture, even a partial one, is a removable appliance that rests heavily upon the soft tissues of the mouth, which are not designed to withstand constant occlusal pressure. A bridge is supported by the bone surrounding the abutment teeth, helping maintain the stimulation necessary to prevent bone loss. Conversely, the lack of root stimulation and downward pressure from a conventional denture can accelerate the atrophy of the alveolar ridge bone.
Maintenance routines also differ significantly. A bridge is permanently cemented and cleaned with special floss threaders or interdental brushes. Dentures must be physically removed daily for deep cleaning to prevent plaque buildup and tissue irritation. A bridge is not considered a denture because its permanent attachment and tooth-based support system fundamentally separate it from the removable, tissue-supported nature of a denture.