1) DEFINITION

It is an artificial replacement that is rigidly attached to one or more adjacent teeth to restore one or more missing teeth and is made of a material such as metal, or porcelain fused to metal.

 

2) ADVANTAGES

After a tooth is removed the rest of the adjacent teeth can move and shift out of place resulting in bite changes, loss of additional teeth, decay and gum disease, but a dental bridge can help prevent all this.

 

3) DISADVANTAGES

The main disadvantage of the bridge is reducing the size of the teeth adjacent to the space to be restored especially if these teeth are virgin (neither decayed, filled nor root canal treated). In such a case an implant may be the treatment of choice to preserve the adjacent healthy teeth from being shaped or resized.

 

4) INDICATIONS

• Missing one or more teeth with the adjacent teeth having decay, large fillings or root canal treatment.

• Cosmetic reasons (to improve the appearance) especially in anterior teeth (discolored, rotated, badly shaped and malformed teeth).

• Splinting loose teeth together with fixed teeth.

 

5) TYPES

• Cast Metal bridges.

• Porcelain fused to metal bridges.

 

6) CONSTRUCTION STEPS

 

A- The first visit

• Decay is removed and the teeth are shaped by reducing its size to accept the bridge’s crowns.

• An impression is taken.

• A temporary bridge of plastic or metal is formed and fitted to the reshaped teeth temporarily restoring the missed teeth.

 

B- Between first and second visits

• The impression is sent to a dental laboratory where an accurate model of the prepared teeth is constructed.

• The dental laboratory then creates a metal covers for the prepared teeth adjacent to the missing tooth (teeth).

• A false metallic tooth (teeth) is (are) next permanently fused to both adjacent covers, to form a metallic bridge.

 

C- The second visit

• Metal try-in is made on the patient’s mouth to assure good laboratory work.

 

D- Between second and third visits

• The lab then bakes porcelain onto the metal bridge so that the porcelain resembles a natural teeth appearance.

 

E- The third visit

• The patient returns to the dental office, the temporary bridge is removed; the permanent one is adjusted and cemented to the adjacent prepared teeth.