WHAT IS A BRIDGE?

Firstly we can make all bridges that are required for our patients. A bridge in dentistry is a method of replacing lost teeth. With the advent of affordable implants we are fitting fewer and fewer bridges. This is mainly because a bridge usually involves shaping the teeth on either side of the space into pegs to allow the bridge to be cemented in place. The bridge consists of two crowns joined together by a false tooth. They are traditionally constructed of dental porcelain fused to white gold so that the gold supporting framework is invisible. This provides a very strong and long lasting restoration if it is well constructed and designed. Recently more modern materials including Zirconia are used. Zirconia is one of the strongest ceramics that have been invented. Using modern milling machines a Zirconia block is custom shaped for your bridge and dental porcelain is fused to the surface to make an outstandingly aesthetic restoration that blends in with the rest of your teeth.

Other bridges are manufactured with a metal framework that  is made with minimal shaping of the next door teeth and the false tooth is made with metal wings which are cemented to the teeth, this is called a Maryland Bridge. It is less popular than it was in the 80’s and 90’s because the metal wings tend to shadow through on the support teeth and make them look dark. They also tended to come unbonded unless great care was made in their design due to the natural movement of the support teeth eventually breaking the hold of the cement.