Bridge

Bridges are used to fill the spaces of tooth loss. A typical fixed bridge cemented is to two surrounding crowns. Without the use of a bridge, spaces of missing teeth can cause multiple teeth to shift, lead to biting and/or jaw problems, and deteriotion of oral hygiene. Bridges helpsto maintain a healthy, vibrant smile.

The Procedure

During the first visit, the surrounding teeth are prepared under a local anesthetic. The dentist makes a mold of the teeth and sends it off to a dental lab for customizingthe bridge. The customized mold takes one to two weeks to return to the office. During this process, patients are fitted with a temporary bridge constructed of acrylic resin. When the bridges are ready, the dentist removes the temporary bridge and replaces it with the permanent one.

Types of Bridges

A fixed bridge, which consist of a filler tooth or teeth that is attached to two or more crowns. The crowns fit over the existing tooth to hold the bridge in place. The fixed bridge is the most popular bridge.

There are also bonded bridges known as a "Maryland" bridge or an "Encore" bridge. The Maryland bridge has metal on the lingual. The Encore bridge is all tooth color material. These both are bonded to the surrounding teeth. If the missing tooth space has no surrounding teeth, the dentist may decide an implant is the most appropriate choice. With proper dental care, bridges are healthier and last longer.