Dental bridges
What are dental bridges?
Dental bridges span gaps where teeth have been lost, and we can think of them as a series of linked crowns.
Dental bridges can restore smiles and help preserve the ability to chew properly. They maintain facial shape, prevent remaining teeth from ‘drifting’ and distribute the weight of the bite evenly.
The image depicts a dental bridge with adjacent crowns
Can I have a bridge fitted straight after having a tooth extracted?
No. It can take up to six months for your gums to heal properly after an extraction. During this time you may require a temporary denture before we fit the bridge. Our dentists will advise.
Can dental bridges always replace lost teeth?
We can only consider dental bridges if you have enough strong teeth with good bone support. Our dentists will advise and if bridgework is not suitable, will explain your other options.
How are crowns and bridges made?
Before a dental bridge can be made, supporting teeth, need to be prepared by making them a little smaller so the crown anchor points can fit over them. After this procedure, we will take an impression to provide an exact mould for the technicians to manufacture the prosthetic.
If we use porcelain, our dentists will determine the correct shade for the crown or bridge to match the colour of existing teeth.
Temporary crowns are usually fixed over the prepared teeth to protect the dental work while we manufacture the bridge.
