Bridges offer a reliable solution to gaps in a smile. Consisting of a false tooth held between two crowns, bridges use your teeth to support the replacement tooth. A longer-lasting alternative to dentures, bridges are an effective method for replacing individual missing teeth.
Bridges are usually made from porcelain fused to a metal or ceramic base. There are custom-made using scans of your teeth so they blend in perfectly with your smile, appearing just like natural teeth. The porcelain is also shade-matched to your teeth.
There are a variety of different types of bridge available. In addition to traditional bridges, we can also use implants to support the bridge if there is more than one tooth missing. There are also cantilever bridges for cases where there are teeth only on one side of a gap (used to replace the back molars) and Maryland bridges that are attached to existing teeth with metal wings.
Traditional bridges offer a secure alternative to dentures as they are fixed in place using crowns. They are also a more affordable solution to implants.
As well as restoring an incomplete smile, bridges can offer a host of other benefits, including:
It’s important that the teeth supporting the bridge are healthy so we carry out an assessment to ensure that there are no underlying signs of damage.
We will need to remove a layer of enamel from the abutment teeth so there is enough room for the crowns. We take scans of the prepared teeth so we can send measurements to the dental laboratory where the bridges are made. We provide a temporary bridge to protect the teeth so they are not exposed.
When ready, the bridge is checked and adjusted to make sure it fits perfectly and it is finally fixed in place with strong dental cement.
Good oral hygiene is essential to ensure the longevity of your bridge. It is especially important to clean under the false tooth, as well as brushing and flossing regularly.
If bridges are well looked after, and that includes keeping the surrounding teeth healthy so they can continue to provide a solid foundation, they should last for over ten years.
