Bridge
Written by Dentist Rune Skou, 2008-21-12Last update: 2010-01-01
A bridge is made up of three or more connected crowns.
What is it?:
Like a crown, a bridge has a hollow shell at each end. This shell is fitted over the remains of the natural teeth and replaces their natural crowns.
In between these outer crowns, one or several links are fitted which replace the lost teeth.
A bridge can be made of metal, ceramics or a combination of the two.
Why is it used?:
A bridge is used to replace lost teeth when some of the neighbouring teeth have also broken off or have been otherwise weakened.
Unlike removable prosthetics, a bridge is locked in place.
What is the risk?:
If a bridge is used to treat a tooth that hasn’t undergone a root canal procedure, there’s a 10% chance of the nerve inside the tooth dying. If this happens, the tooth will need a root canal.
When doing a root canal through a bridge, the hole is filled using a composite filling after the procedure has been completed.