Final answer:
A dental bridge is a restoration that replaces missing teeth by using adjacent natural teeth as support. It involves shaping the abutment teeth to secure the artificial tooth, known as a pontic.
Step-by-step explanation:
A dental bridge is a dental restoration that spans an area that has no teeth and is connected to natural teeth at each end. Unlike a gomphosis, which is a type of joint fastening a tooth securely into its socket, a dental bridge uses the existing teeth as abutments to support the artificial tooth or teeth that fill the gap left by missing teeth. It is an effective method for restoring dental function and aesthetics in cases where one or more teeth are absent. The abutment teeth are typically prepared by shaping them to anchor the bridge securely, and the replacement tooth, called a pontic, is attached to crowns covering the abutments.