Dental Bridges

Dental bridges are a good way to restore missing teeth (Credit: Powerbooktrance)

When a tooth or several teeth are lost due to decay or gum disease, a fixed dental bridge is a good way to restore the missing teeth/tooth. There are three types of dental bridges: all metal, porcelain fused to gold, and all porcelain.

All metal bridges using gold are used in the back of the mouth and are not so popular. Porcelain fused to gold bridges is a popular way for restoring missing teeth in both the front and the back of the mouth. All porcelain bridges are the most esthetically pleasing of the three. They look almost identical to natural teeth.

Replacing a missing tooth with a fixed bridge involves two or more appointments. At the first appointment, your tooth will be numbed with local anesthetic and then the teeth on either side of the space are shaped with the dental drill to precise proportions. An impression is then taken to make a working stone model for the dental laboratory. During the time that the laboratory is creating your new bridge, you will have a temporary bridge in your mouth.

At the next appointment, the temporary bridge is removed and the new bridge is tried on to make sure that it fits well. If everything is correct, your new dental bridge is bonded or cemented into place. Dental bridges cost from $500 to $1000 per tooth. Dental bridges, when properly cared for, can last for 10 years or more.