Bridge
Do you have a missing tooth? Do you want to replace it? It is important to replace a missing tooth either to restore your smile, improve your chewing or correct your speech problems. A missing tooth may be replaces by a prosthesis, a bridge or an implant. If you chose a bridge to replace your missing tooth, here is what to expect.
A bridge is used as a way of replacing one or many missing teeth that are close together. It is formed by an artificial tooth that is held by two crowns that must be cemented on the natural teeth that are next to the missing tooth. The bridge is cemented permanently, which means that it cannot be removed like a removable prosthesis. The installation of a bridge takes two appointments at your dentist.
The treatment:
At your fist appointment, your dentist will start by giving you a local anesthetic to desensitize the teeth next to the missing tooth. He/She will then shape the two teeth to prepare them to receive the crowns. Your dentist will take impressions of your teeth in order to send it to the lab so that a bridge can be made for you. Your dentist will install temporary restorations on you shaped teeth in order to protect them until the bridge is ready.
At your second appointment, your dentist will remove the two temporary restorations on your teeth and will cement the bridge that was made to fit your mouth. He/She will then make any necessary adjustments to allow for your natural occlusion (the way your teeth close together).
It is very important to take good care of your bridge at home. You must brush and floss around the two natural teeth that hold your bridge. You will also need to floss under the bridge to remove food debris and dental plaque using a floss threader. It is important to know that a cavity can happen between the crown and the natural tooth underneath.