Dental Bridges

This is the most common type of dental bridge. The teeth adjacent to the missing tooth/teeth are prepared for crowns. The fabricated bridge will be placed over these teeth, and the missing teeth will be replaced in between. This type of restoration makes the most sense when both teeth adjacent to the missing tooth or teeth require crowns anyway. If the teeth next to the space do not otherwise require crowns, this can be a very invasive treatment option.

While dental bridges can generally last a long time if well cared for, when they fail, they can often be hard to replace due to the extent of decay underneath by the time a problem is discovered. Also important to understand is that all the teeth involved in the bridge are fixed together, so any future problems with any of the individual teeth often have implications for the entire bridge. Bridges also have increased demands for a patient’s home care. Because the teeth in the bridge are fused together, flossing beneath a bridge requires a different type of floss.

In some cases, bridges can be more esthetic than implant restorations. They can also be favored for situations where a patient may need or want to avoid an implant surgery.

This type of bridge is similar to a traditional bridge, except that the structure is supported on only one side instead of both sides.

This type of bridge can be more conservative compared to the traditional bridge since it involves fewer teeth. However, it may be more prone to failure with certain patients’ bites. Home care around a bridge like this is much easier since it is not attached on both sides.