Bridges are one of the options to replace a missing tooth or teeth.
What is a dental bridge?
Dental bridges are used to replace missing teeth by attaching a false tooth or teeth to a natural tooth or teeth adjacent to the gap. Bridges may also be attached to implants .
What are bridges made of?
Bridges can be made from a combination of metal covered in tooth coloured ceramics, or they can be metal-free using reinforced ceramics.
How is a bridge attached?
They are permanently fixed into the mouth with a dental cement or resin to the anchor teeth.
How do I look after my bridge?
As with natural teeth, bridges must be maintained with thorough daily oral hygiene to prevent problems such as decay, bad breath and gum disease. You also have to clean under the false tooth every day. Your dentist or hygienist will show you how to use a bridge needle or special floss, as a normal toothbrush cannot reach.
What are the benefits of bridges?
- Easy to adapt to as it is fixed in your mouth and it closely simulates natural teeth.
- A bridge can be provided relatively quickly in as few as 2 or 3 dental appointments.
- This option does not require any surgical procedures.
What are the limitations of bridges:
- They rely on being attached to relatively healthy retaining teeth (abutments), usually either side of the gap.
- They require “preparation” of abutment teeth to make room for the retaining components of the bridge. The preparation involves varying degrees of tooth tissue removal.
- Bridges work better for smaller gaps. Bridges for longer spans tend to have less predictable long-term outcomes.
