A dental bridge is a prosthesis used to restore missing teeth. It is made of artificial teeth that are supported by crowns placed on the real teeth surrounding the space. Since it is cemented into the mouth, it can only be removed by the dentist.
A bridge can be made of many different materials, such as gold, porcelain or porcelain with a metal foundation. The choice of which material to use is determined by a thorough dental examination. Bridge placement will require multiple appointments, with some procedures completed by the dentist and some undertaken by a dental laboratory technician.
Tooth Preparation
Preparation for a dental bridge involves cutting down and shaping the teeth on either side of the toothless space. This is so that crowns can be placed on those teeth and attached to the prosthetic teeth to replace the ones that are missing. An incorrectly prepared tooth will result in a bridge that is lacking in strength and retention.
The amount of tooth preparation needed is determined by the type of material that will be used to make the bridge. A gold bridge requires removal of much less tooth structure than a bridge that will be made from porcelain. An incorrectly prepared tooth will result in a bridge that is lacking in strength and retention.
Impression
Once the teeth have been filed down properly, an impression is taken and sent to the dental lab. The impression is made by having the patient bite into a tray containing a putty-like material. This material will capture all of the details of the teeth that have been prepared. This impression is then sent to the dental lab technician, who will use it to fabricate the permanent bridge.
The dentist will fabricate a temporary bridge in the office. This will be held in place with temporary cement so that it can be removed easily when the final bridge is returned from the lab.
Cementation
When the final bridge comes back from the lab, the dentist inserts it in the mouth to ensure a proper fit. A proper fit means that the margins of the bridge fit perfectly with the margins of the prepared tooth. The bite must also be checked to make sure that the bridge allows the patient to bite down normally and chew properly. Necessary adjustments can be made at this time.
Once a thorough evaluation is completed, the bridge can be cemented onto the teeth. A permanent cement is used, and the patient will bite firmly onto cotton or gauze pads to be sure that the bridge sets completely. The cement will start to harden in a few minutes, and the dentist will remove the excess cement and check the patient's bite again.
References
- Consumer Guide to Dentistry: Bridging the Gap with a Dental Bridge
- Colgate World of Care: What are Dental Crowns and Tooth Bridges?
- "Contemporary Fixed Prosthodontics 4th Edition"; Stephen F. Rosenstiel; 2006
