Bridges

With a bridge, our team can quite literally ‘bridge’ a gap in the mouth, replacing a missing tooth or teeth and returning a smile to full power and function.

What is a bridge?

There are several different types of bridge available, but they are all used to fill in a gap in the mouth that may have been left by missing teeth, or damaged teeth that are in need of replacement. They are made up of a prosthetic tooth or teeth, and a support structure that is applied to either one or both of the surrounding natural teeth.

What types of bridge are available?

• A conventional bridge is the most commonly placed bridge type and uses the surrounding healthy teeth to support the prosthetic tooth or teeth. They are held in place via crowns which are attached to the two anchor teeth.
• A Maryland bridge uses either a porcelain or metal frame to attach the bridge to the neighbouring healthy teeth.
• An adhesive bridge works in a similar fashion to a Maryland bridge but uses a metal wing which is then attached to the back of the neighbouring teeth.
• A cantilever bridge can be attached to just one healthy neighbouring tooth.

Why do I need a bridge?

Bridges are used to replace missing teeth or teeth that are in need of extraction due to decay or damage that cannot be treated another way. We recommend replacing missing teeth wherever possible, as missing teeth can cause further problems down the line and a variety of future oral health issues.

Having a missing tooth can also badly affect a patient’s smile and smile confidence. You may feel self-conscious when smiling or having your photo taken, and could also have difficulty eating and speaking.

What is the treatment like?

Receiving a bridge happens over two or more appointments. We’ll first take a scan of your mouth which is what will be used by our dental lab partners to make your unique bridge. We’ll fit you for a temporary bridge while your personal bridge is being made, and when it’s ready you’ll come back in to have it fitted. We’ll check the fit, bite, and comfort are all correct and then cement it into place for you.

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