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Q&A with Australian Health Practitioners
Why would a bridge be required?
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Dr Keith Baetz
Dentist, Prosthodontist
To enable Dr Baetz and his team to provide you with the highest level of care, your first appointment is the most important.Dr Baetz will … View Profile
A bridge could be required if there is a missing tooth and the teeth on either side of it are not in good shape and for mechanical/biological reasons, require crowns. A better alternative, nowadays, often, is to leave the two adjacent teeth alone and place an implant into the gap.
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Dr Kevin Jaffar
Dentist
Jaffar Dental - Trusted and Established since 1997. We are a family owned General Dental Practice offering a friendly and caring environment in Waterford QLD. … View Profile
1. To fill a space for a missing tooth so that adjacent teeth don't tilt & eventually change the bite.
2. To give a full compliment of teeth for easy chewing and no foodtrap.
3. If adjacent teeth are heavily filled, it can fill the space of a missing tooth and strengthen adjacent teeth at the same time.
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Dr Adam Alford
Dentist
In 2000 I graduated from the University of Sydney with Honours. I have worked in Country, General Family, Cosmetic Dentistry, Orthodontic and Dental Implant practices, … View Profile
I am assuming you are talking about a fixed bridge to repalce a missing tooth that you have lost.
When my patients ask me how can they fill up a gap after losing a tooth I give the same response;
There are four options;
1. Leave the gap, occasionally there is nothing wrong with leaving the gap, you have to ask why are you replacing the tooth, is it to improve function, is it cosmetics, is it just becasue you lost a tooth.
2. A removable denture; for a single tooth I don't usually advise this unless the patient can not afford any other option and it is a cosmetic situation.
3. A fixed dental bridge; a bridge is very much like a bridge accross a river you use two teeth (very occasionally one) to hang a false tooth accross the gap.
4. A dental Implant; which is a titanium post whihc is inserted into the bone during minor surgery and left to heal and then a crown is then connected to the top of the implant.
The costs of dental impalnts are reducing rapidly (implants and bridges are now approximately the same cost) and if there is enough bone available then this can be a better option than a bridge, it is all dependent on the overall health of the two teeth either side of the gap, the overall treatment plan etc whihc has already been discussed in other answers. IF you have perfectly healthy teeth either side of the gap (and you are relatively young then an implant 90% of the time, unless you have to go through additional surgery becasue there is not enough bone available. If you have teeth either side of the gap that really for their long term health having a corwn would be good for them then maybe the bridge. If the number of teeth missing in the gap is more than one then I would be thinking about implants.
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Dr Roland Chong
Dentist
A dental bridge is often used to fill a gap between teeth after the loss of a tooth or several teeth. There are 2 types of bridges as Dr Alford has already alluded to. Removable bridges are often partial dentures and fixed dental bridges are crowns cemented on the adjcent teeth to the gap. If you need to replace a tooth and the adjacent teeth need to be crowned to protect them from breaking then a bridge is the most practical option.
A dental bridge is used instead of dental implants if there is insufficient bone to have a dental implant inserted, there is a medical reason why the individual cannot have surgery or dental implants have failed in the individual in the past.
Furthermore, if the individual cannot tolerate a partial denture for whatever reason, then a fixed dental bridge is the preferred option.
The choice between a fixed or removable dental bridge is dependant on many factors which only your dentist can provide you with and discuss to determine which is the better option. There are pros and cons for each treatment choice, in some cases one will be better than the other.
All the best with your treatment.
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