Bridges Back to Service

Dentists believe that the best teeth are your own teeth. They will do all they can to make sure you keep your teeth. But sometimes, a tooth is badly damaged or lost. The good news is dental bridges and dentures are two ways to restore a badly damaged tooth or replace a lost tooth.

Dental Bridges

If a tooth is lost, it is important to replace it with a false [or artificial] tooth as soon as possible. This procedure will prevent your remaining teeth from drifting out of line and causing other problems.

A dental bridge is also called a fixed dental bridge or a fixed partial denture. A dental bridge can replace one or more missing teeth and is held firmly in place by healthy teeth on each side of the missing one[s]. You cannot take a dental bridge out. It is permanent.

How a Dental Bridge is Made

Step 1
The teeth on each side of the missing one[s] are prepared for crowns.

Step 2
The false tooth [or teeth] and two crowns are custom-made in a dental lab as one piece.

Step 3
The unit is placed in your mouth. The crowns are cemented to your two healthy teeth on each side of the missing one[s].

A dental bridge should last for about 10 years if you take good care of it. Your dentist will show you how to use a floss threader to floss under and around the false tooth [or teeth] in the middle of the dental bridge.