Dental Bridge
Dental Bridges are false teeth that replace missing teeth by anchoring to one or two of the neighboring teeth. The false tooth is known as the pontic and the anchoring teeth are known as abutments. They are an alternative to dental implants for whose patients who do not wish to have surgery.
There are different types of bridges:
Conventional bridges
This involves preparing the neighboring teeth (abutments) so that they become like crowns/caps and the false tooth (pontic) is then fused to the abutment crowns. This type of bridge can be made in gold, ceramic, or gold/ceramic combination.
Pros:
- Average lifespan is around 10-15 years, this is much longer than adhesive bridges.
- Offers a fixed option for replacing gaps for those who do not wish to have implant surgery.
Cons:
- Preparation of the neighbouring teeth is necessary and so this can make those teeth more sensitive for a while. Occasionally the tooth sensitivity does not settle and the abutment tooth ends up needing root canal treatment.
- Cost of this type of bridge is only slightly cheaper than dental implants.
- Cleaning underneath these bridges can be more difficult and will require good oral hygiene technique.
Adhesive bridges (Also known as Maryland bridges)
Maryland bridges involve no preparation or very little preparation of the inside of one or two neighboring teeth (abutments) and the false tooth (pontic) is then bonded using wings to the inside wall of the neighboring teeth. This type of bridge can also be made in gold, ceramic or gold/ceramic combination.
Pros:
- Very little or no preparation of the neighbouring abutment teeth is necessary thus preserving them for longer.
- Often cheaper than conventional bridges as less clinical time and lab time is required.
- Likelihood of root canal treatment becoming necessary with maryland bridges is very remote.
Cons:
- De-bonding of this bridge is more common than conventional bridges.
- Average lifespan is around 5 years, although some last longer.
- Generally unsuitable for back missing teeth and more suited for missing front teeth.
Cantilever bridges
This type of bridge involves capping just one neighbouring tooth (abutment) and the false tooth (pontic) bonds to this one neighbouring tooth. This type of bridge can also be made in gold, ceramic or gold/ceramic combination.
Pros:
- Often cheaper than conventional bridges as less clinical time and lab time is required.
- Cleaning these bridges is generally easier than conventional bridges.
- Cantilever bridges are fixed and patients generally prefer a fixed solution for a missing tooth to a removable solution such as a denture.
Cons:
- Preparation of the neighbouring tooth is necessary and so this can make that tooth more sensitive for a while.
- Less chewing load can be applied to this type of bridge compared to conventional bridges, so its not suitable for all clinical situations.
The photos below show the case of a patient who presented to us to have her genetically missing teeth replaced with adhesive bridges. We replaced her with two missing lateral incisors with two no tooth drilling belleglass fibre reinforced adhesive bridges.
Case study
At Pearl dental clinic, we will always provide you with a full written treatment plan so that you are fully aware of the costs involved with your treatment. We have published all of our fees on our web site, so that there are no hidden costs. We also provide 0% dental finance on most treatments allowing you to spread the cost of treatment over a period of 1-3 years without interest. Finance can usually be arranged within a few hours.
The clinic is open seven days a week from 8am to 11pm. You can book consultation by calling our reception team on 0208 547 9997 or by email.
