All Porcelain Bridge

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When a tooth is lost due to decay or gum disease, a fixed dental bridge is a good way to restore the missing tooth. A dental bridge can be thought of as a false tooth, and can be used to repace a single missing tooth, or several adjacent teeth.

Dental bridge materials : There are 3 types of dental bridges used today: all metal, porcelain fused to gold, and all porcelain. All metal bridges using gold are used in the back of the mouth, and have fallen out of favor due to the poor esthetics. Porcelain fused to gold bridges are a popular way for restoring missing teeth in both the front and the back of the mouth. They are very strong and esthetically pleasing, but they do have drawbacks. Over time the gums may recede, exposing the little metal gray line that you may have seen in a person's mouth.

Porcelain bridges: The third type of bridge is an all porcelain bridge. These bridges are the most esthetically pleasing of the three. Porcelain bridges can be made to look almost identical to your natural teeth. All porcelain bridges used to be somewhat fragile. Today, with new techniques in pressed porcelain, the all porcelain bridge has become a very good choice for replacing a missing tooth.

The first appointment: Replacing a missing tooth with a fixed bridge involves two or more appointments. At the first appointment, your tooth will be numbed with local anesthetic so that you are comfortable and don't feel any pain. Then the teeth on either side of the space are shaped with the dental drill to precise proportions.

An impression is then taken to make a working stone model for the dental laboratory. During the time that the laboratory is creating your new bridge, you will have a temporary bridge in your mouth.

The second appointment: At the next appointment, the temporary bridge is removed, and the new bridge is tried on to make sure that it fits well. Your cosmetic dentist will check your bite, make sure that you can floss adequately, and be sure that the color is a good match to your adjacent teeth. If everything is correct, your new dental bridge is bonded or cemented into place.

Dental bridges, when properly cared for, can last for 10 years or more.