Dental Bridges

Dental Bridges are used to replace one or more missing teeth in your mouth. Dental bridges are permanent,  they are cemented on the supporting teeth (abutment teeth / tooth), or in some cases fixed on dental implants.

Importance of Replacing the Missing Teeth:

 Replacing the missing teeth will restore your ability to properly chew and speak besides its cosmetic advantage; in addition the space caused by the missing teeth may allow the surrounding teeth to shift into that space. This shifting could cause a misalignment within your bite, that can result in problems with your jaw joint. These shifted teeth are harder to clean, making them more susceptible to gum disease, decay or even additional tooth loss.

Bridges are usually made from a precious metal base, porcelain is then bonded to the base. Modern dentistry allows the use of all porcelain bridges as well ,these bridges are made from zirconia.

The Bridge is made by constructing crowns on the teeth either side of the gap and joining them together with a false tooth (pontic). The bridge is made in the laboratory and cemented into place using a special dental adhesive.

Once in place the bridge can only be removed by the dentist. You can usually have a bridge if you have enough strong teeth with good bone support. If teeth are not replaced or the opposing tooth is not supported this will misalign other teeth causing your teeth to shift and bite together incorrectly.

There are alternatives to a fixed bridge including: Partial Dentures and Dental Implants.

The Treatment Plan:

You will need to have at least two appointments if you have a fixed bridge fitted.

Appointment 1-

Tooth Preparation, Impression, Temporary Bridge.

1. You will be given a local anesthetic around the working area before preparing the teeth adjacent to the missing tooth.

2. The teeth will need to be reduced in size and shaped to support the bridge.

3. Once the teeth are prepared, your dentist will take an impression and a color match(with a shade guide) from the surrounding teeth. The bridge will then be fabricated in the dental laboratory by a dental technician.

4. A temporary bridge will be placed ready for you second appointment.

Appointment 2-

Cementing the Fixed Bridge into place:

1. You will may be given another anesthetic to numb the area and then the dentist will remove the temporary bridge.
2. Once you and the dentist are happy with the fit and color (the shade of the bridge has to match the surrounding teeth) and positioning of the bridge, it will be cemented into place.

Cleaning Your Dental Bridge:

The longevity of your dental bridge depends in large part on the quality of the material in the bridge, the occlusion (no interference when the patient makes a movement sideways or forward) as well as your oral hygiene, diet and the health of the supporting teeth and gums. Please ask your dentist for proper brushing and flossing techniques.