Dental bridge
An artificial tooth held by the neighbouring teeth, filling the gap left by a missing one.
What it is
A dental bridge replaces one or more missing teeth with artificial teeth attached to crowns placed on the neighbouring teeth. Those teeth become the bridge's supports, and the bridge is cemented in place: it does not come out.
When it suits
When the teeth next to the gap are healthy and stable, or need crowns anyway. The fixed alternative is an implant, which leaves the neighbouring teeth untouched; we weigh the two on your X-ray.
How it works here
The supporting teeth are prepared (reshaped) under local anaesthetic and scanned. You wear a temporary bridge until the final one is ready. At the end we check your bite and cement the bridge.
How long it takes
Usually a few visits over a few weeks. What comes after cementing is covered in after a dental crown.
Reviewed by Dr. Voinea ·
CMDR Romania · Galați University of Medicine and Pharmacy · General Dentistry