When a patient loses a tooth to decay, trauma or gum disease, it can be a frightening and disturbing time.  We understand this and have confidence that we can correct these situations with several options, one of those being a bridge.

What is a bridge?

This is where the missing tooth is ‘bridged’ over.  The two teeth adjacent to the gap, receive crowns that are connected to a ‘fake’ tooth in the place of the missing tooth.  The appearance is natural and the materials that are used to fabricate the bridge vary from metal-free to porcelain fused to gold, all depending on the situation at hand.

Bridge vs. Implant

When the adjacent teeth that are used to hold the bridge in place have large fillings in them, it is an acceptable solution to utilize a bridge.  If the adjacent teeth are intact, then the patient has to make an informed decision about going forward with a bridge or consider an implant.  There was a time when a bridge was the only solution for replacing a missing tooth, but in the age of implant dentistry, this approach has changed.  We always discuss implants as an option.