Fellow International Congress
of Oral Implantologists
Fixed Dentures (Bridges)
A fixed bridge can help patients missing only a few teeth. A bridge involves shaping or drilling down teeth adjacent to the space so that they become anchor teeth for a false tooth/teeth that fills the gap. A bridge consists of two caps (crowns) with a false tooth/teeth attached between. The caps of the bridge are cemented on the teeth adjacent to the gap.
A fixed bridge does not move or rock when a person eats. They take only about three weeks to design, fabricate, and place. However, there are many disadvantages to bridges. The most obvious disadvantage is that healthy teeth must be reduced and capped to hold the prosthetic teeth in place. In addition, the bridge sits on top of the gum, which can create a food trap under the bridge. The number-one cause of failure for bridges is cavities that start from under the bridge, where food has been caught. There is also a possibility that one or both of the anchor teeth could break during function or preparation. Therefore, the next bridge would need to be longer, hence starting the vicious cycle of losing more teeth.
