Ceramic bridge

[Isla]

Hello

I have a loose tooth at the front of my jaw and my dentist has recommended removing the tooth and fitting a ceramic bridge in its place to cover the gap created by the loss of the tooth.

I read on the net last night that a ceramic bridge need to have the teeth next door shaved down a bit to accommodate the bridge. Are there any risks with this approach? Could anything serious happen to the next door teeth?

Do I have any alternative options, my dentist suggested a denture but I said no, because I think I am too young to have a denture and as its only one tooth, I think I would prefer something that does not come out at night and stays fixed in my mouth.

[Dr Mohsen J. Esfahani]

Thank you for your post. Shaving down a tooth for a bridge can lead to tooth sensitivity. Very occasionally it can lead to pain and in those situations the tooth may need root canal treatment. Obviously shaving teeth is irreversible and forever you will need to have a bridge or a crown on those teeth that have been shaved down.

Apart from a denture and various bridge types, you also have the option of a dental implant.