Bridges are usually made from a precious metal base and if the bridge is visible, porcelain is then bonded to the base. To reduce the cost, non-precious metals can sometimes be used for the base.
The bridge is made by constructing crowns (caps) or wings on the teeth either side of the gap and joining them together with a false tooth. It is made in the laboratory and cemented into place using a special dental adhesive.
Once in place the bridge cannot be removed. Superfloss (available at reception) is designed especially to clean bridges. Ask your dentist for a demonstration. You can usually have a bridge if you have enough strong teeth with good bone support.
A bridge can improve the way you look, bite, chew and even speak, with a good colour match. If teeth are not replaced or supported when lost they can misalign other teeth causing your teeth to bite together incorrectly.
There are alternatives to a fixed bridge including partial dentures and implants. All have pros and cons so please give us a call for more advice.
