EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT DENTAL BRIDGE

Dental bridges

 
Tooth loss can affect your appearance, confidence, and overall quality of life. However, with dental bridges, you can restore a smile that looks natural, allows proper chewing, and helps maintain the health of your remaining teeth.

 Besides filling the edentulous gaps, bridges prevent neighboring teeth from shifting, ensure proper occlusion, and maintain the long-term stability of your dental arch. If you are missing one or more teeth, this reliable solution can help you enjoy a carefree smile and full functionality again.

Our dental practice uses modern techniques and high-quality materials to ensure long-lasting, safe and natural results. Below, we explain everything you need to know about dental bridges, their benefits, the procedure, and how our expert team can help you achieve the smile you truly deserve!

Benefits of dental bridges

  • Improve the appearance of your smile by restoring a natural, harmonious look.
  • Allow proper occlusion, which also supports healthy digestion.
  • Provide a long-term solution—when properly cared for, bridges can last for 10 years or more.
  • Help maintain the stability of your remaining teeth by preventing unwanted shifting of the remaining teeth.

 Dental bridge types:

 1. Traditional bridges – reliable and long-lasting

The most common option, a traditional bridge is anchored on two healthy neighboring teeth. These supporting teeth are carefully reshaped by removing a minimal portion of the enamel and dentin to provide a sound foundation for the future bridge.

Advantages:

  • Strong and durable.
  • Restores natural appearance and function.
  • Suitable for replacing one or several teeth.

Important to know:

  • Neighboring teeth require minimal preparation.
  • Good oral hygiene is essential to prevent plaque buildup under the bridge.

 2. Adhesive bridges – a less invasive option

Adhesive bridges, such as the Maryland bridge, are ideal when minimal intervention is desired. Unlike traditional bridges, they don’t require extensive shaping of adjacent teeth. Instead, they are bonded with special adhesive materials following minimal preparation in the enamel.

Advantages:

  • Preserves neighboring teeth, little to no preparation is required.
  • Quick and simple procedure
  • Commonly used in younger patients for replacing front teeth.

 Important to know:

  • Not as durable as traditional bridges—may occasionally de-bond.
  • Not suitable for strong occlusal forces, so they are rarely used to replace posterior teeth.

3. Implant-Supported Bridges – Modern and Stable

If the neighboring teeth are not strong or healthy enough to support a traditional bridge, an implant-supported bridge can be an excellent solution. In this case, the bridge is anchored to dental implants which provide a sound foundation for the bridge.

Advantages:

  • The most stable long-term solution when healthy natural teeth are not available as support.
  • Does not require preparation of healthy neighboring teeth.
  • Provides a natural look and full function, almost identical to real teeth.

Important to know:

  • After implant placement, longer healing time is needed before loading the bridge.
  • The process involves minor surgery but offers superior stability in the long run.

 Difference between dental bridges, crowns and implants

Dental crowns are used to restore damaged teeth, while bridges fill the gaps by relying on the support of adjacent teeth. Implants, on the other hand, replace the root of a missing tooth and can serve as a foundation for a bridge or a crown.
Choosing the right braces and the right team can transform your smile – and your life. If you are considering orthodontics, consult our practice to explore options tailored to your needs. With expert support and proper care, your path to a perfect smile will be safe and free of complications!

 The dental bridge – what to expect during the procedure

The placement of a bridge is safe and painless, carried out in several stages:
  1. Consultation and Treatment Planning
A detailed examination and assessment of your teeth will determine the best option. For traditional bridges, the supporting teeth must be strong enough to support the bridge.
  1. Tooth Preparation
If neighboring teeth are perfectly healthy and intact, implants may be the better solution to avoid unnecessary preparation of healthy teeth. However, if the neighboring teeth are already treated (e.g., root canal), a bridge often becomes the preferred choice, since it replaces the missing tooth and protects the treated teeth at the same time.
  1. Digital Impressions
After the preparation, the dentist takes precise digital impressions used for creating the bridge.  We use advanced 3Shape digital scanning technology to take precise impressions of your teeth in just 20–30 seconds—quick, comfortable, and completely painless. Digital impressions are far more accurate than traditional methods, ensuring the best possible fit. Within a few days, the bridge is fabricated in the laboratory from the selected material (all-ceramic, zirconia, or metal-ceramic).
  1. Temporary Bridge
While your permanent bridge is being made in the lab (ceramic, zirconia, or metal-ceramic), we will provide you a temporary bridge to protect your teeth and maintain function and aesthetics.
  1. Prototype Testing
We first test a printed prototype of your future bridge to check the fit, occlusion and shape. Any adjustments are made at this stage to guarantee precision of the final result.
  1. Definite Placement
Once the permanent bridge is ready, it is placed onto your prepared teeth or implants and re-evaluated. After confirming the perfect fit and aesthetics, the bridge is permanently cemented in place.

Is local anesthesia used?

Local anesthesia is used during tooth preparation or implant placement, ensuring the procedure is painless.

Is there pain after tooth preparation once the anesthesia wears off?

Most patients experience only minor discomfort or sensitivity during the first few days, but no significant pain.

How long does it take to adjust to a dental bridge?

In the first few days after the bridge is cemented, the patient may feel a foreign body sensation and mild sensitivity to cold, which is completely normal and temporary.

During the following week, the bridge becomes a natural part of your mouth – as if it had always been there, especially in the case of a small bridge structure. For larger bridge constructions, the adjustment period may take up to a month, as it also involves adapting speech and chewing patterns.

With proper oral hygiene and regular dental check-ups, dental bridges ensure a long-lasting and carefree smile! For larger bridges, it may take up to a month to fully adapt, especially in speech and chewing.

Dental bridge prices

When considering dental bridges, it is important to know that the price depends on several factors: the type of bridge, the material used, and the extent of the procedure. Each patient has unique needs, and our expert team is here to help you find the best solution that is aesthetic, functional, and sustainable in the long term.
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