A Maryland bridge is a common type of bridge that is often used in pediatric patients since they are too young for dental implants. Children can often be traumatized by the replacement of missing teeth, however the process for Maryland bridges allows the experience to be more simple, quick, and painless.
Maryland bridges may be used on children due to congenitally or missing teeth from an accident. A Maryland bridge uses metal or porcelain wings that are attached to the back of the surrounding teeth to keep the bridge in place, instead of using crowns. The Maryland bridge is less invasive than other bridges as it does not affect the natural teeth and no alterations/grinding need to be done on your teeth. The process consists of taking dental impressions, fitting the custom bridge, and bonding the wings to the surrounding teeth using dental cement. This makes Maryland bridges a great alternative for children as they can be easily replaced and keep the remainder of their natural teeth safe. It helps maintain the functionality of the mouth, while also allowing the child’s mouth to develop. Maryland bridges can last over 10 years with proper care and regular dentist visits, which gives children the time to reach the growth needed for dental implants.
Below is an example of a very young patient with a congenitally missing left lateral. Dr. Carranza likes to be conservative due to the age so she performed bleaching, recontouring of the gingiva, a single veneer on the right lateral tooth, and a Maryland bridge on the left lateral tooth. As you can see, the advantage is that the patient does not have to remove any prostheses at night. Young patients waiting to be older to have implants like these options a lot.
