Dental bridges
Dental bridges are a quick and uncomplicated way of replacing any missing teeth. However, the existing, possibly undamaged and healthy neighboring teeth at the edges of the tooth gaps must be ground down as so-called bridge abutments, as for an artificial crown, to which the dental bridge can be attached. In our metal-free concept, definitive bridges are made from different types of ceramic.
In suitable cases, more minimally invasive grinding variants can be chosen in order to preserve healthy tooth substance (so-called adhesive bridges or inlay or onlay bridges) Long-term temporary restorations are made of high-quality synthetic materials. Nowadays, however, most edentulous areas are reconstructed with implants and artificial dental crowns attached to them, i.e. the missing teeth are replaced with artificial tooth roots (= implants). However, there are also situations in which a bridge is the more suitable treatment option overall.
It is always an individual consideration of the various advantages and disadvantages as well as the patient’s wishes as to which course of treatment should be taken.
What is a dental bridge?
A dental bridge is a dental prosthesis that sits exclusively on the teeth. The aim of a dental bridge is to replace one or more missing teeth. To achieve this, we attach the dental bridge to the natural teeth (so-called abutments) or implants adjacent to the gap between the teeth. The construction of the dental bridge therefore consists of two anchors (abutment teeth or dental implants), which support one or more artificial teeth in the middle, thus making it possible to bridge the tooth gap. The dental bridge is therefore a good alternative to dental implants that are firmly anchored in the jawbone.
What types of dental bridges are there?
If you have opted for a dental restoration in the form of a dental bridge, there are several types of dental prosthesis available to you. The various dental bridges differ according to the type of material used, the size, the shape, the type of support of the bridge pontic and the type of attachment to the adjacent teeth.
Another type of bridge is the so-called free-end bridge. We use this if there is no natural tooth adjacent to the gap on one side or if too much substance would be lost by grinding a healthy tooth. In this case, we do not use abutment teeth (also known as bridge abutments) on both sides and instead use two abutments next to each other on one side. However, this means that only a small span can usually be bridged using the free-end bridge and therefore only one tooth can usually be replaced.
With a so-called adhesive bridge, also known as a Maryland bridge, the aim is to protect the healthy neighboring teeth. For this reason, we do not use crowns as anchors for the dental bridge, but instead bond the bridge to the natural teeth. We mainly use this type of dental bridge for patients in childhood or adolescence, as at this age it is not yet possible to “block” several teeth for growth reasons and the patient’s own tooth structure should be protected, partly because the dental nerve is still very extensive in adolescents. With an inlay bridge, too, the bridge anchors do not consist of crowns, but of so-called inlays, which we attach to the natural, adjacent neighboring teeth. By inlays, we mean inlays produced in the dental laboratory, which we also make in ceramic.
When is a dental bridge used?
The purpose of a dental bridge is to close an existing tooth gap, which may include one or more teeth – it therefore serves to replace the missing teeth. As a result, the dental bridge not only achieves a visual improvement over a gap in the teeth, but also enables the patient to chew again without any problems by restoring the chewing function. A dental bridge is therefore used when a gap between two or more teeth needs to be closed.
What materials can dental bridges be made from?
In our metal-free concept of biological dentistry, various types of ceramic are the material of choice due to their excellent biocompatibility and their natural, brilliant esthetics.
What are the advantages of a dental bridge?
Dental bridges sit firmly in the dentition and have a long durability – usually ten to 20 years. Treatment with dental bridges is now a routine treatment, and the production process is less time-consuming than for dentures, for example, and dental prostheses generally require less effort than implants, for example. In addition, a dental bridge does not require a complex surgical procedure, which in many cases would also entail a longer healing period.
What are the disadvantages of dental bridges?
A negative aspect of dental bridges is the need to grind down and (partially) crown the neighboring, possibly healthy teeth to which the dentures are to be attached (abutment teeth) when inserting the bridge. Unfortunately, this also results in the loss of good tooth substance, which in turn creates a potential risk of infection for the healthy tooth. This risk exists because the enamel is attacked when the teeth are ground down. In rare cases, restoring the missing tooth with a dental bridge can therefore result in damage and, in the worst case, even loss of the healthy tooth. One disadvantage of a dental bridge is therefore that the normally healthy abutment teeth can be affected and put under additional strain. There are also types of dental bridges that are rather suboptimal. One of these bridges is the free-end bridge, as it is only attached to the patient’s own teeth on one side and floats freely on the other. As a result, the abutment teeth are subjected to increased stress, which can potentially damage them permanently.
As the pontics of a dental bridge are not usually in direct contact, there is no stress on the jawbone under the replaced tooth. This can lead to slow bone loss over the years.
Another major disadvantage of bridges is the fact that the entire bridge may have to be redone even more extensively if one of the abutment teeth has to be removed later for various reasons. The initially supposedly cheaper solution with a bridge in comparison to the alternative implant treatment turns out in retrospect to be a cost-intensive interim solution. Occasionally, fixed dental bridges are also difficult to clean in the mouth, so we strongly recommend regular professional dental cleaning (approx. every 3-9 months) by specially trained prophylaxis assistants in our practice.
How long do dental bridges last?
With good quality, conscientious care and regular check-ups, dental bridges can last for ten to 20 years. However, regular and thorough dental and oral hygiene is essential for this – daily tooth brushing, the use of dental floss or interdental brushes and rinsing are indispensable. This is because the main reason for reduced durability of dental bridges is possible caries infestation of the adjacent abutment teeth, which is why dental and oral hygiene is all the more important when wearing dental bridges.
What are the costs associated with a dental bridge?
For legal reasons we are not allowed to give prices here.
