Bridges
What are bridges?
Bridges are multiple teeth suspended in a gap, held in place by natural teeth. They have the advantage over dentures in that they are fixed into the mouth. They can improve aesthetics and function of your oral environment.
What types of bridges are available?
There are different types of bridges for different clinical scenarios:
a) conventional: where the teeth holding the bridge are shaped as is for a crown
b) resin-retained: where there is minimal or no shaping of the teeth and the bridge is held on by a wing covering some of the tooth
With the 2 options above, a range of designs can be produced:
a) fixed-fixed: 2 teeth either side of the gap are shaped to hold a bridge
b) cantilever: 1 tooth is holding the bridge in the gap
c) hybrid: a mixture of conventional and resin-retained are used in 1 bridge
Can a bridge fill any gap?
Bridges will only be successful in limited scenarios. The longer the span, potentially the more limited its prognosis. Bridges can only be an option if the oral health is otherwise optimal.