Smiles Better - Bridgework

A PATIENTS GUIDE TO DENTAL BRIDGES

A bridge is a device that is used to fill a gap where a tooth is missing. There are various types of bridges and we would advise you on which one would be best for you.

Fixed Bridge – crowns are cemented onto the teeth either side of a gap and have the false tooth/teeth attached between them which fills the gap between the two crowned teeth.

Fixed-movable Bridge– these are similar to fixed-fixed bridges but have a movable joint (not detectable by the patient) allowing the use of a bridge when retaining teeth that are not favourably aligned.

Cantilever Bridge – these bridges are used where or when one tooth next to the gap is strong enough to support a false tooth alone, necessitating only a single tooth preparation. The false tooth is attached to the single crown which then fills the gap.

Adhesive Bridge– these are used where minimal tooth preparation is indicated (e.g. in teeth with no fillings) and a metal wing with a false tooth attached to it is bonded to the back of the tooth next to a gap.

Why do I need a Bridge?

We will recommend a bridge for cosmetic and clinical reasons. A missing tooth following an accident can obviously be unsightly and traumatic, and a bridge is an effective way to solve this problem. However, a dentist will also use a bridge in situations where it has been necessary to extract a tooth because of advanced decay. The clinical advantages of using a bridge are that it will improve function and prevent problems with the patient's bite developing- surrounding teeth will often start to move into a gap, and food can become trapped leading to increased decay and gum disease.

Alternatives to Bridges

There are two main alternatives to a dental bridge- dentures or dental implants. Dentures are not always the best solution if only one or two teeth need to be replaced, because they can cause difficulties with eating and even speaking, so be sure to seek our advice. Dental implants consist of a titanium "post" which is inserted in the jaw, to which an artificial tooth is attached. Again, these are not always suitable- a patient must be medically fit, have healthy gums and a sufficiently thick jawbone to allow for this procedure and implants to have a fairly high cost. Implants are becoming more widely used and are available at our practice.

Consulting us about a Bridge

We will usually recommend a bridge in situations where one or two teeth need to be replaced. Your teeth and gums must be healthy enough to support the bridge; we will evaluate this on the initial consultation. X-rays and other tests will be performed to ensure that the we can build a bridge that will be functional and cosmetically acceptable for a number of years.

What is involved in fitting a Bridge?

If using a standard bridge, at your first appointment we would remove a small portion of the teeth either side of the gap, to accommodate the thickness of the new crown/crowns and temporary crowns will most likely be fitted.

If an adhesive bridge is being made then a small amount of tooth may be removed from the back of the tooth next to the gap and a temporary will most likely not be fitted as its such a minimal preparation.

An impression of the prepared tooth and an impression of your bite will then be taken, as well as the tooth colour/shade match.

This information is then used to design the bridge, ensuring that it is the best possible fit.
At your second appointment which is generally 2-3 weeks after the preparation (whilst the labatory make the bridge) the bridge is then bonded to the teeth, and the dentist will ensure that the replacement tooth is correctly fitted.
Bridges toward the rear of the mouth will usually be made of a precious metal substructure, with a porcelain tip that has been coloured to match the rest of the teeth. For gaps towards the front of the mouth, dentists will often use a bridge made entirely of porcelain. This is more visually attractive, but also more expensive.

This picture shows an example of a fixed bridge

porcelain bonded to metal fixed bridge

All porcelain fixed bridge

This picture shows an example of an Adhesive bridge; the metal wing is bonded to the back of the tooth so it is unnoticeable

This picture shows an adhesive bridge that was fitted on one of our patients. This is the same type of bridge as the diagram above except this one is made up of 2 false teeth and 2 wings (the two front teeth are false).

After the Bridge is fitted

There should be no significant side effects after a bridge is fitted- they are easier to get used to than a denture, and with careful cleaning should last for many years.

Cost of Bridges

Our prices for bridges vary from about £500-£1450.

*We have a resident specialist in Prosthodontics (the replacement of missing teeth), Dr Kerry Osborne-Smith, who sees patients on referral from other practices as well as treating our own patients.

The following diagram shows you the stages in preparing for and fitting a fixed bridge

Site designed by System 3 Business Solutions. Content by Mandy Rawson.


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There are various types of bridges and we would advise you on which one would be best for you. *Fixed Bridge* – crowns are cemented onto the teeth either side of a gap and have the false tooth/teeth attached between them which fills the gap between the two crowned teeth. *Fixed-movable* *Bridge– these are similar to fixed-fixed bridges but have a movable joint (not detectable by the patient) allowing the use of a bridge when retaining teeth that are not favourably aligned. Cantilever Bridge* – these bridges are used where or when one tooth next to the gap is strong enough to support a false tooth alone, necessitating only a single tooth preparation. The false tooth is attached to the single crown which then fills the gap. *Adhesive* *Bridge– these are used where minimal tooth preparation is indicated (e.g. in teeth with no fillings) and a metal wing with a false tooth attached to it is bonded to the back of the tooth next to a gap. Why do I need a Bridge?* We will recommend a bridge for cosmetic and clinical reasons. A missing tooth following an accident can obviously be unsightly and traumatic, and a bridge is an effective way to solve this problem. However, a dentist will also use a bridge in situations where it has been necessary to extract a tooth because of advanced decay. The clinical advantages of using a bridge are that it will improve function and prevent problems with the patient's bite developing- surrounding teeth will often start to move into a gap, and food can become trapped leading to increased decay and gum disease. Alternatives to Bridges There are two main alternatives to a dental bridge- dentures or dental implants. Dentures are not always the best solution if only one or two teeth need to be replaced, because they can cause difficulties with eating and even speaking, so be sure to seek our advice. Dental implants consist of a titanium "post" which is inserted in the jaw, to which an artificial tooth is attached. Again, these are not always suitable- a patient must be medically fit, have healthy gums and a sufficiently thick jawbone to allow for this procedure and implants to have a fairly high cost. Implants are becoming more widely used and are available at our practice. Consulting us about a Bridge We will usually recommend a bridge in situations where one or two teeth need to be replaced. Your teeth and gums must be healthy enough to support the bridge; we will evaluate this on the initial consultation. X-rays and other tests will be performed to ensure that the we can build a bridge that will be functional and cosmetically acceptable for a number of years. What is involved in fitting a Bridge? If using a standard bridge, at your first appointment we would remove a small portion of the teeth either side of the gap, to accommodate the thickness of the new crown/crowns and temporary crowns will most likely be fitted. If an adhesive bridge is being made then a small amount of tooth may be removed from the back of the tooth next to the gap and a temporary will most likely not be fitted as its such a minimal preparation. An impression of the prepared tooth and an impression of your bite will then be taken, as well as the tooth colour/shade match. This information is then used to design the bridge, ensuring that it is the best possible fit. At your second appointment which is generally 2-3 weeks after the preparation (whilst the labatory make the bridge) the bridge is then bonded to the teeth, and the dentist will ensure that the replacement tooth is correctly fitted. Bridges toward the rear of the mouth will usually be made of a precious metal substructure, with a porcelain tip that has been coloured to match the rest of the teeth. For gaps towards the front of the mouth, dentists will often use a bridge made entirely of porcelain. This is more visually attractive, but also more expensive. This picture shows an example of a fixed bridge porcelain bonded to metal fixed bridge All porcelain fixed bridge This picture shows an example of an Adhesive bridge; the metal wing is bonded to the back of the tooth so it is unnoticeable This picture shows an adhesive bridge that was fitted on one of our patients. This is the same type of bridge as the diagram above except this one is made up of 2 false teeth and 2 wings (the two front teeth are false). After the Bridge is fitted There should be no significant side effects after a bridge is fitted- they are easier to get used to than a denture, and with careful cleaning should last for many years. Cost of Bridges Our prices for bridges vary from about £500-£1450. We have a resident specialist in Prosthodontics (the replacement of missing teeth), Dr Kerry Osborne-Smith, who sees patients on referral from other practices as well as treating our own patients. The following diagram shows you the stages in preparing for and fitting a fixed bridge* Site designed by System 3 Business Solutions. Content by Mandy Rawson.