Fixed Bridges

Creating a Lasting Smile

If you experience tooth loss due to accidents, injury, or gum disease, we can create a special permanent 'bridge' appliance to replace your missing teeth. Not only can a bridge fill the missing teeth space, thereby preventing repositioning of your remaining teeth, but it also can correct an altered bite, improve chewing ability and speech articulation, and support facial structures-- preserving your normal appearance. Most bridges are 'fixed' permanently with dental cement onto the neighboring 'abutment' teeth on either side of the toothless area.

Placement Options

Bridges typically consist of three basic units: the pontic, or false tooth/teeth, plus two crowns permanently attached to the abutment teeth. If you’re only missing your front teeth, and if your neighboring abutment teeth are healthy, a resin-bonded or "Maryland" bridge may be the most economical choice. In such cases, we fuse the pontic to metal bands that are resin cement-bonded to your abutment teeth and hidden from view. This process reduces adjacent teeth preparation work. On the other hand, if you have teeth left on only one side of the toothless span, we may need to anchor the pontic to one side, atop one or more natural, adjacent teeth. This arrangement is called a "cantilever" bridge. If you have no adjacent 'anchor' teeth, Dr. Siegrist may recommend a surgically implanted metal post or 'implant'. Finally, if your missing teeth 'span' is very wide, we may suggest a removable partial denture or implant-supported prosthesis.

Three Steps to a Completed Smile

Bridge placement and fitting is a fairly simple process traditionally involving three steps. First, Dr. Siegrist will reduce your adjacent abutment teeth to serve as bridge anchors. Next, he will take a careful impression of your mouth, from which we’ll have the metal framework and pontic designed. During the second appointment, he will fit the newly fabricated, custom-fit bridge over your teeth. This process will generally require two to four weeks, depending on the style of bridge we’re creating. Matching the precise shade of teeth may sometimes cause minor delays.

Care & Preservation

Because the bridge anchoring area can trap food particles, you’ll need to be committed to excellent oral hygiene: twice daily brushing, daily flossing, and regular professional cleanings at our office. Sometimes we'll even recommend using floss threaders to help remove bacteria from hard to reach spaces between the bridgeyou’re your adjacent teeth and gums. Without proper care, food debris and plaque will easily build up on your remaining teeth, which can quickly and imperceptibly lead to gum disease. If gum disease occurs, your bridge may need to be removed. However, with proper oral hygiene, you can expect your fixed bridge to last at least 8-10 years.