Dental Bridges Treatment In Shellharbour
Bridges are one of the options available to replace a missing tooth. A bridge utilises the teeth adjacent to the missing tooth to support a customised porcelain tooth replacement. It consists of crowns over the supporting teeth to which the customised porcelain tooth replacement is attached. A bridge will provide a relatively fast and aesthetic means of non-removable (fixed) tooth replacement.
We primarily use bridges to replace one or two missing teeth where the teeth on either side would benefit from crowns already but are strong enough to support the extra load of the bridge. They are also used in some instances where patients, for some reason, cannot have an implant placed or would like a fixed tooth replacement but do not wish to have an implant made.
Our Process For Dental Bridges
We mainly use bridges to replace one or two missing teeth where the teeth on either side would benefit from crowns already but are strong enough to support the extra load of the bridge. They are also used in some instances where patients, for some reason, cannot have an implant placed or would like a fixed tooth replacement but do not wish to have an implant made.
The process is very similar to having a crown constructed. The teeth on either side of the gap are prepared, impressions are taken, and a temporary plastic bridge is made. Once the porcelain bridge has been constructed, the temporary bridge is removed, and the porcelain bridge is permanently cemented.
They are less commonly used now than they once were as generally implants offer a more conservative replacement option. With an implant, no preparation is required on the adjacent teeth. An implant will also give the bone function and help to prevent recession of the bone around it. The bone under a bridge will often remodel over time, and it is possible to develop a small gap under the false tooth. This is usually not of great concern on posterior teeth but can cause some aesthetic impact on anterior teeth.
