You may feel that you rely mostly on your tongue to speak but, without your teeth, your tongue would have a hard time getting much across to people. Think of the sounds that rely on your teeth: D, L, N and T are the essential “dental consonants,” but F, S, TH and V all rely heavily on your teeth, as well. If your ability to speak clearly has been diminished by missing teeth, a bridge can allow for more clear, crisp diction.