Dental bridges are natural-looking replacement teeth that fill gaps and restore a complete smile. They can also make eating and speaking easier. The process of getting a dental bridge starts with scheduling a consultation appointment. Your dentist will examine your mouth and medical history to determine if you are a suitable candidate for a dental bridge. Then they will discuss different types of dental bridges, including cantilever and abutment bridges.

Bridges rest on healthy teeth either side of the gap (known as abutment teeth). Our dentist will prepare these teeth by shaping them for the crowns that will be fitted to them. This is done under local anaesthetic.

Preparation

Once the type of bridge is decided upon, the healthy teeth on either side of the gap are filed and reduced to prepare them for abutment tooth crowns. A local anesthetic will be administered to ensure you remain comfortable throughout the procedure.

Good oral health is important to the longevity and effectiveness of a dental bridge. Brushing and flossing twice a day along with regular professional cleanings and antimicrobial mouthwash help to reduce plaque and maintain strong, healthy teeth and gums.

Impressions

Dental impressions are crucial to accurate fitting and fabrication of dental restorations, including bridges. During this quick and painless process, your dental professional will dispense a putty-like material into trays, which they’ll then place over the abutment teeth. The impressions will capture the shape and size of your natural oral anatomy, ensuring that your bridge fits well into the space.

The dental impressions will be sent to a laboratory, where skilled technicians will use them to create your permanent bridge. Your dentist may also affix a temporary bridge to the abutment teeth, which will protect them while the permanent one is being fabricated. With advanced technology like the iTero intraoral scanner, we can now offer a more patient-friendly experience and increased precision. The iTero system utilizes digital scanning to eliminate the need for impression gel, and it minimizes air entrapment, which leads to inaccurate reproductions.

Temporary Bridge

A temporary bridge is used to fill the gap while a patient waits for their permanent one. Acrylic materials are usually used for this purpose because they can be quickly fabricated and mimic the appearance of natural teeth.

The temporary bridge prevents other teeth from shifting into the gap and supports healing after a tooth extraction or gum surgery. It also helps increase comfort when eating and speaking.

It’s important for patients to maintain excellent oral hygiene and visit their hygienist on a regular basis with a dental bridge, just as they would with any other tooth. This will help reduce the risk of tooth decay and other problems, as well as extend its lifespan. In most cases, a bridge will last for decades.

Permanent Bridge

The dentist will take numbing medicine to make you comfortable before shaping the healthy teeth that will anchor the bridge. They will prepare the abutment teeth by filing them down and taking dental impressions. They will provide you with a temporary bridge while they wait for the permanent one to be made.

Dental bridges offer a more immediate solution than implants, and can help restore both your dental functions and your smile. Bridges also preserve the health of adjacent teeth, which is an important benefit for patients with certain medical conditions who may not be suitable for implants.

However, bridges can lead to increased decay and gum disease in the surrounding teeth, and there is a slightly higher risk of bone loss around the gaps compared to implants. Good oral hygiene and regular visits to your dentist can mitigate this risk.

Maintenance

Aftercare procedures are critical for dental bridge longevity and preventing future issues like periodontal disease or tooth loss. Patients should be sure to follow strict oral hygiene practices, schedule routine dental check-ups, and maintain mindful choices about diet.

Certain foods should be avoided to protect the dental bridge, such as hard or sticky items that could cause physical damage. A diet high in calcium-rich foods, such as dairy products and leafy vegetables, promotes healthy teeth and gums and helps prevent erosion of the anchor teeth.

Dental bridges can also benefit from the use of specialized dental tools like interproximal brushes and waterpiks to remove tiny food particles and debris trapped under the bridge. Our dentists will be able to recommend a dental tool that is right for you.