A bridge is a fixed replacement for a missing tooth or teeth that helps to ‘bridge’ the gap left by the missing tooth or teeth quite literally. Most conventional bridges use the surrounding natural teeth as support, holding the prosthetic tooth or teeth in place via crowns that are attached to these ‘anchor’ teeth.
Other than the conventional bridge-type described above, there are Maryland, adhesive, and cantilever bridges. All of these offer benefits in some way – with a cantilever bridge, for example, we’re able to use just one neighbouring natural tooth as support.
The benefit of Maryland and adhesive bridges is that they can be attached without the use of crowns, which can be more suitable in some cases. A Maryland bridge uses a frame made of either metal or porcelain, while adhesive bridges use a metal wing and dental adhesive to hold the new prosthetic tooth in place.
In most cases, we’ll always recommend replacing a missing tooth or teeth. This is because missing teeth can lead to further oral health issues, such as an increased likelihood of decay, misalignment, and bone loss. They can also leave patients feeling self-conscious about their smiles, which can lead to difficulty eating and speaking.
A bridge can address all these issues, providing a long-lasting solution that’s both durable and natural-looking. Bridges are custom-made for the patient and will fit seamlessly in with the rest of your mouth, leaving you more confident and self-assured about your smile and oral health.
You should expect to receive your bridge over two appointments. When applying a conventional bridge, we’ll first prepare the anchor teeth, shaping them so that they are ready to receive the crown that will support your bridge.
We’ll then take impressions or a scan of the teeth, and send them off to a dental laboratory where your bridge will be made. Once the bridge is ready to be applied, you’ll return to the practice where we’ll set it in place, making sure the fit and bite are correct.
Bridges present a highly durable and long-lasting solution and can last for up to ten years with the proper care and attention.
“I had some trouble with a molar and needed urgent care several times. Each time, they helped me rig…”
“I highly recommend dentist Raj, supported by her team, Komal and Nav, at the Ivory Clinic. She has …”
“I absolutely love this dental practice! My twins have been coming here for 3 years, and every visit…”
“My wife and I are very pleased with our lovely dental surgery. My wife is a bag of nerves when we h…”
“I had to undergo root canal treatment. I was in so much pain for weeks, under the impression it was…”
“I had some trouble with a molar and needed urgent care several times. Each time, they helped me right away...” and even gave me same-day appointments, sometimes staying after hours just to assist me. In the end, I had to get the tooth removed, which made me really anxious since it was my first time going through something like that. Even though I felt a bit embarrassed about my anxiety, the dentist was incredibly understanding and supportive. She’s not only kind and professional, but also genuinely fun to talk to. Everyone at the clinic has always treated me with a smile. I’m really grateful to the entire team. Visiting the dentist can be a very stressful experience, and they make it so much easier.”
“Really like this dentist! The receptionists are friendly & helpful. Dr. Rajwant is super lovely, has always given me a...” relaxing time and made me feel at ease about the procedures when coming to the dentist :)Thank you for helping with my teeth and being a star 🌟”
“I highly recommend dentist Raj supported by her team Komal and Nav at the Ivory Clinic. She has recently been...” treating me for a tricky situation which has required 3 of my teeth to be removed and replacements to be added to my denture. This was done last week. The procedure went very smoothly and faster than I had expected. I have experienced no pain and very little discomfort. I have another unconnected problem that needs to be treated. Raj has been sensitive to the cost that the different approaches will involve when she has explained the treatment options to me. She wants to do the best for her clients and is not out to make as much money as she can for herself.”
“My wife and are very pleased with our lovely dentist surgery. My wife is a bag of nervous when we...” have to go to the dentist but is soon put at ease while she is there. Our dentist talks her through everything and is so gentle and kind. The receptionist is always friendly polite and very helpful. The whole dentist team are wonderful .”
“Absolutely love this dental practise! My twins have been coming here for 3 years and every visit is superb. The...” staff take such great care of them, there is no rush and they listen to every word. Raj is wonderful with them to the extent they love going to the dentist! The end of the visit comes with encouragement and praise and my twins leave feeling on top of the world. Thank you so much, highly highly recommend.”