Fixed dental bridge

Missing teeth can have several negative consequences on your oral health as well as your appearance. Mon Smile offers treatments with high quality standards in implantology and cosmetic dentistry. Take advantage of the knowledge of our team of specialists who share a common goal, which is offering you the best solution for your dental needs.

Take back control of your oral health by making an appointment now for a free consultation.

Traditional bridges
A traditional bridge consists of making one or more replacement teeth, fixed between two crowns, which are applied to two teeth serving as pillars. These two teeth can be natural teeth that are prepared to create enough space to receive crowns, or even dental implants.

The dental crowns are artificial, hollow teeth, made of ceramic, porcelain fired on metal or zircon, which are placed over a natural tooth or over an implant. They have a natural appearance.

Here are the steps necessary for the manufacture and installation of a traditional bridge:

• Following a few preliminary steps and anesthesia, the teeth that will receive the crowns are prepared / cut according to very specific criteria, i.e. part of the enamel is removed to create space to receive the crowns;
  Measurements and impressions of the area that will receive the bridge will be taken and temporary crowns are built over the cut teeth ;
• Measurements and impression of the area that will receive the bridge will be taken and temporary crowns are built over the cut teeth;
• The bridge, made up of the replacement teeth and the two crowns, is fabricated in the laboratory using the measurements and impression taken beforehand. This way, it can fit discreetly among the patient’s natural teeth;
• The temporary crowns are removed, the bridge is tried on and adjusted. If it is to the satisfaction of the dentist and the patient, it is then cemented or glued in place.

Bridges have several advantages, including their aesthetic appearance, which is similar to that of natural teeth. They are also easy to maintain and will last for several years when properly maintained. Thus, they should be given the same care as in the case of natural teeth.

Butterfly bridge
The butterfly dental bridge is another solution to replace one or more missing teeth. It consists in making one (or more) artificial teeth equipped with metal or zircon fins. These are designed in such a way that their shape allows the bridge to be fixed to the surrounding natural teeth. Although it is less durable than a traditional bridge, the butterfly bridge is a good option to replace a small gap between two teeth and when the butterfly bridge support teeth are intact (do not have fillers). A very light trim of the support teeth is made in order to receive the fins and the latter is done without anesthesia. An impression is then taken and sent to the laboratory for the making of the butterfly bridge.

The butterfly bridge has the advantage of having a natural appearance since the fins are not visible when the bridge is in place.

The hygiene necessary for your bridge is the same as the one you adopt for your teeth. The bridge should be cleaned by passing a toothbrush and / or dental floss between the teeth and the pontic. It is important to opt for brushing twice a day using fluoride toothpaste.

The loss of one or more teeth has consequences for our oral health. Here are some examples that demonstrate the importance of replacing a tooth:

• Premature wear of the remaining teeth: Fewer teeth are involved in the chewing process, so the remaining teeth may wear out prematurely as they have to perform the functions of the missing teeth.
• Loss of bone mass: When a tooth is missing, the root of the tooth is no longer present to stimulate the bone in the jaw. This will lead to changes in the physiognomy of the patient’s face. A bone graft can cost between 500$ and 3500$
• Loss of a cosmetic smile: Even though the tooth that has fallen out is not visible in the patient’s smile, the remaining teeth shift and cause misalignment, which affects the aesthetics of the smile. The bill can go towards an average orthodontic treatment of 6500$ in addition to the future implant placement.

Replacing one or more missing teeth is important! This helps prevent complications. There are many options and methods available to you to overcome the problem. It all depends on the number of teeth to be replaced, the oral health condition and the budget.

Call us for a free consultation and start smiling today!