Bridge or fixed partial denture is the most popular system to replace missing teeth.
A bridge is meant to replace missing teeth by bridging the gap b/w two remaining teeth. Crowns fixed onto the adjacent teeth are fused to artificial tooth/teeth that are going to replace missing.
What are the advantages of a dental bridge?
Bridges is a fixed replacement of missing teeth, is stable & doesn't have to be taken out of the mouth like a removable denture at night. Hence they are more comfortable.
A bridge is much more natural in appearance compared to a removable denture.
They are strong enough to chew all types of food.
Taste of food can be enjoyed as it does not have any acrylic plates that would cover the soft tissues as in a removable denture.
They last for many years if maintained well.
How is a bridge fabricated and fixed?
A dental bridge is an artificial replacement of missing teeth. As the name suggests, it bridges the gap between the rest of natural teeth. In other words, a bridge takes support from adjacent natural teeth to replace missing teeth. Crowns are fixed over these natural teeth on either side of the empty space and with their help a tooth or few teeth are fixed in the empty space left by lost tooth/teeth.
At the first appointment, the supporting teeth on either side of the missing teeth are prepared based on the material of choice for the bridge. Now an impression of the dentition is made & sent to the lab where the bridge gets fabricated. In the next appointment, this bridge will be cemented with tooth adhesive cements over the supporting teeth to replace the missing teeth. Fixing of the bridge and corrections to be done if needed would require few minutes of time.
Bridges are also fixed with the support of implants placed in suitable positions.
